PTI withdraws disqualification reference against Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Thursday withdrew a disqualification reference filed in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) President and MNA Asif Ali Zardari.

PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman had filed a reference in ECP on December 20 seeking the disqualification of the former president for allegedly concealing his New York apartment in his tax returns.

Taking back his reference today, Zaman while speaking to the media said, "I want to move the Supreme Court against the PPP president."

"We have come across evidence that we will only present before a top forum," the PTI leader stated.

On December 27, the ECP had reviewed Zaman’s reference and accorded approval for an initial hearing.

Earlier, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said that the PTI had directed its Sindh lawmaker Zaman to file a reference against Zardari for not mentioning his foreign assets in the nomination papers. “Zardari owns an apartment in the United States. Under Article 62/63, he was bound to declare his assets which he didn’t. He is not eligible to remain a member of the Parliament anymore,” Chaudhry had said.