IHC issues pre-admission notice to Zardari in disqualification case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued a pre-admission notice to former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) President Asif Ali Zardari in a disqualification reference. 

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah while hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leaders Usman Dar and Khurram Sher Zaman seeking Zardari’s disqualification, remarked that these kinds of matters should be taken to the Parliament which is a proper forum for these kinds of pleas.

“There are 18,000 cases pending in the court. Political fights should be fought in the Parliament,” he said.

The court then deferred the hearing and issued a pre-admission notice and sought a reply from Zardari within two weeks.

On January 21, PTI’s Zaman had filed a reference seeking the disqualification of the former president for allegedly concealing his New York apartment in his tax returns.

The PTI leaders in the petition had stated that Zardari is not Sadiq or Ameen as he did not disclose his assets and should be disqualified under Article 62(1)(f).

Zardari was elected MNA from NA-213 seat during the July 25 general election and is not qualified to be a member of the National Assembly, the petition added.

The PTI alleged that the former president owns an apartment in the United States which he did not mention in his nomination papers.