ECP put on notice in PTI candidate’s dual nationality case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday put on notice the Election Commission of Pakistan in a writ petition challenging qualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate for PK-73 Peshawar claiming that he is a dual nationality holder.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarrat Hilali also issued notice to the PTI candidate for PK-73 Taimur Salim Jhagra to submit reply in the petition on July 24, one day ahead of the election day.

The bench issued notice in a writ petition filed by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal candidate Maulana Amanullah Haqqani for PK-73 through his lawyer Muhammad Isa Khan. The lawyer argued that the PTI candidate is not only a dual nationality holder, but also had Aqama in the UAE. He said that the PTI candidate had also mentioned in his nomination form that he is resident of Dubai.

Furthermore, Isa Khan submitted that as per the income tax record, the respondent PTI candidate had also paid zero income tax in 2017, while he had income of over Rs80 million. The lawyer requested the court to order disqualification of the PTI candidate on PK-73 as he is not eligible to contest election.