IHC bars ECP from holding polls on Soomro seat

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday restrained the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from holding election on the National Assembly seat vacated after de-notification of Muhammad Mian Soomro until the next hearing in September. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of IHC heard the case filed by Soomro through Barrister Zainab Janjua.

The petitioner’s lawyer contended that her client, elected from NA-196 Jacobad, his client had not submitted resignation and the NA speaker had declared the seat as vacant in view of Soomro’s long absence.

The lawyer informed the court that the ECP had announced elections in the constituency after de-notifying Soomro. The court observed that Soomro did not attend the assembly session for 40 without filing the leave notice. The court directed the counsel to get information from her client that when he was arriving and whether he would attend the session after his return or not.

At this the advocate said that Soomro would return on September 27, and attend the session. The court remarked it would issue notice to the assembly’s secretary as it cannot serve notice on the speaker.