MQM candidate told to argue on maintainability of plea against Bilawal’s papers

The Sindh High Court on Thursday directed a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) candidate to argue on the maintainability of his petition in which he had sought the disqualification of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the rejection of his nomination papers for allegedly concealing the record of inherited properties.

MQM-P leader Mehfooz Yar Khan, who will be also contesting the election in National Assembly constituency NA-246, submitted in the petition that Bilawal filed his nomination papers before the returning officer and mentioned details of billions of rupees’ properties which he obtained through succession from his mother and grandparents.

He stated that the petitioner did not mention the title documents of properties in details of his assets which were owned by his mother and grandparents although the properties must be mentioned in income tax details along with assets and liabilities.

Khan alleged that the PPP chairman did not submit money trial or succession certificates of such properties along with documents submitted before the returning officer. He submitted that it was necessary for the candidate to submit all records of properties along with documents of income tax ownership in record of rights in his nomination papers, but Bilawal had failed to do so, and he also did not disclose benami properties around the Bilawal House.

He requested the court to obtain the record of income tax with regard to the properties of Bilawal and to reject his nomination papers if the relevant details were not filed with the returning officer.

A division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed the petitioner to argue on the maintainability of the petition and explain why he did not approach the election tribunal. He was also asked him to file a copy of the affidavit of Bilawal with regard to his properties by July 2.

The young PPP chairman has declared in his nomination forms about two dozen properties in and outside Pakistan as well as about investments and bank accounts in Dubai and the UK. He has 20 residential, commercial and agricultural properties across Pakistan, mostly inherited or gifted by parents, grandfather and others.