Plea says Nawaz denotification illegal: ECP, law, justice ministry issued notices

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan and federal ministry of law & justice on a petition challenging the July 28 notification of the ECP that de-notified Nawaz Sharif as prime minister.

Justice Shahid Karim heard the petition Thursday moved by Ghulam Yasin of Lawyers Foundation for Justice. In initial arguments on behalf of the petitioner, advocate AK Dogar said the ECP had de-notified Nawaz illegally as the prime minister could only be removed through no-confidence move in the National Assembly under Article 95 of the Constitution.

He said the Constitution expressly commanded that a prime minister could be removed by a mandate of majority in the National Assembly which had elected him. The lawyer said since the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif was elected through the votes his de-notification was unconstitutional.

He asked the court to set aside the notification issued by the ECP against Nawaz Sharif for being unlawful. The judge heard the arguments and issued notices to the respondents for two weeks.