Disqualification of MPA who defeated Qureshi suspended

MULTAN: The Lahore High Court Multan bench election tribunal Friday suspended the disqualification of Punjab chief minister’s former advisor, MPA Salman Naeem. The LHC Multan bench judge Justice Shahid Karim suspended the ECP disqualification of candidate and issued notices to all parties for November 6. Independent candidate Salman Naeem defeated Shah Mehmood Qureshi from PP-217 in the recently-held general elections. After the court verdict, the ECP cancelled the by-election in the constituency scheduled on November 27. Earlier, the ECP disqualified Salman on October 1 after two separate petitions filed against him seeking his disqualification. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and a citizen filed separate petitions challenging Salman Naeem's underage. The petitioners sought his disqualification citing violation of Section 62-63, showing his age through a fake CNIC. The ECP disqualified Salman Naeem and ordered re-election in PP-217, which was scheduled for November 27. Salman Naeem joined the PTI after winning as an independent candidate. PTI senior leader Jehangir Tareen played a key role in striking a deal between Salman Naeem and PTI. In the general elections, Naeem secured 35,300 votes while Qureshi bagged 31,716 votes, shattering the latter’s dreams to steer Punjab once governed by his father as a governor.