Sanjrani’s eligibility to be acting president challenged

ISLAMABAD: Accepting a petition challenging the eligibility of Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani to be acting president of Pakistan, the Islamabad High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) and others directing them to submit their replies by May 21. President Mamnoon Hussain left for Saudi Arabia on May 14 to perform Umra. The petition maintained that Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani was less than 45 years of age and was therefore not eligible to become acting president.

Justice Aamer Farooq issued notices to the AGP Ashtar Ausaf Ali and other respondents. Citing the federation of Pakistan through secretary Senate and Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani as respondents, the petitioner, Afzal Khan Shinwari, contended that under Article 49 of the Constitution the chairman Senate becomes acting president in the absence of president of Pakistan.

Secretary Senate issued a notification of appointment of Sanjrani as acting president. According to the petitioner, under Article 41 of the Constitution a person less than 45 years of age cannot be president while Sanjrani was 40-year-old born in 1978.

The petitioner submitted that the secretary Senate while issuing notification committed a grave error and an illegality, or alternatively an act that was repugnant to the Constitution of Pakistan and liable to be set aside. He requested the court to set aside the May 14 notification appointing Sanjrani as the acting president.