SC disqualifies PML-N MNA for concealing assets

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday disqualified Justice (retd) Iftikhar Ahmed Cheema, the returned candidate of the ruling PML-N from NA-101 Gujranwala-VII, for concealing assets and directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to de-notify his membership and hold fresh election in the constituency.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, suspended the election tribunal’s verdict and ordered re-polling in the constituency where Cheema was declared the winning candidate in 2013 general elections. Cheema had bagged 9,9191 votes, defeating his opponent Muhammad Ahmed Chatha of PML-J by a margin of 40,000 votes.

 Mr. Chatha challenged the result in the election tribunal alleging that his opponent Justice (R) Iftikhar Ahmed Cheema had not disclosed the details of his assets in the nomination papers.

The tribunal however rejected his plea and later on Mr. Chatha challenged the tribunal’s verdict in the Supreme Court. On Monday, during the course of hearing, the counsel for the petitioner Muhammad Ahmed Chatha argued before the court that Mr. Cheema had concealed his assets in the nomination form. The counsel for Mr. Cheema argued that his client had not mentioned details of assets and bank accounts which were not related to him. 

He further submitted that his client had no mala fide intention to do so adding that his client could not be disqualified on this. After hearing the arguments of both sides, the court ordered re-polling and directed the ECP to de-notify the membership of Mr. Cheema.