Ch Sarwar can’t vie for elected office for two years

ISLAMABAD: Former Punjab governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, who has joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as widely speculated, is barred to vie for an elected office for two years under the Constitution.
But despite this handicap, which will go in January 2017, Chaudhry Sarwar’s inclusion will boost up the position of the PTI among the Pakistani expatriates especially in Scotland where there is a large Pakistani community, which has been supporting him for years. It was from here that he was elected to the British Parliament more than once. His son will be contesting from the same area after his father rescinded the British nationality and preferred to be part of the Pakistani politics.
Already the PTI has a large following among the overseas Pakistani in most foreign countries particularly where they are in a huge number.In spite of the two-year restriction to stand for an elected office, Chaudhry Sarwar faces no prohibition to participate in political activities. Like former presidents of Pakistan, ex-ambassadors and many other former official position holders, governors are also disqualified to contest federal, provincial or local elections as they are covered by the definition of ‘the service of Pakistan’, as spelt out in the Constitution’.
Article 63(1)(k) says a person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as, and from being, a member of the Parliament if he has been in the service of Pakistan or of any statutory body or any body which is owned or controlled by the Government or in which the Government has a controlling share or interest, unless a period of two years has elapsed since he ceased to be in such service. Article 260 defines the service of Pakistan and says it means any service, post or office in connection with the affairs of the Federation or of a Province, and includes an All-Pakistan Service, service in the Armed Forces and any other service declared to be a service of Pakistan by or under Act of Parliament or of a Provincial Assembly.
However, the provision exempts from the service of Pakistan the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Prime Minister, Federal Minister, Minister of State, Chief Minister, Provincial Minister, Attorney-General, Advocate-General, Parliamentary Secretary or Chairman or member of a Law Commission, Chairman or member of the Council of Islamic Ideology, Special Assistant and adviser to the Prime Minister, Special Assistant and adviser to a Chief Minister, or member of a House or a Provincial Assembly.
All others, not listed in these exclusions, who are entitled to government salary, perks and privileges whether or not they avail of them, fall in the service of Pakistan and face the restriction to contest any election for two years. The period starts from the day they cease to hold their offices. It was generally believed after Chaudhry Sarwar relinquished his British citizenship and was made the governor of Punjab by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that he wants to actively take part in politics to make a difference. He remained an uneasy soul while serving as the governor, which was just a ceremonial office.
Before quitting the gubernatorial slot, he explored his options to associate himself with a political party. He was inclined to the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), but since this party has become dysfunctional after it wrapped up its sit-in and due to the serious illness of its chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, he was not pushed to affiliate himself with it. The other alternative he had was to join the PTI, which he has availed.Although he has not added anything to the popularity of the PTI inside Pakistan, he has been considered as a good induction. His agenda is similar to that of Imran Khan.