ECP dismisses petition seeking disqualification of Maryam Nawaz from party office

The Election Commission  of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking the disqualification of Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif from holding party office.  

Maryam Nawaz Sharif can stay on as vice president of the PML-N, the verdict of the election commission said. A three-member bench of the ECP had earlier reserved the verdict in the disqualification on Monday. 

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retired) Muhammad Raza Khan announced the verdict on Tuesday. The petition for disqualification had been filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders Malika Bukhari, Farrukh Habib and Kanwal Shauzab. 

In August, the ECP had postponed the verdict challenging the appointment of Maryam Nawaz as Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz vice-president.

The ECP bench hearing the case had ordered that lawyers be given additional assistance in the case and said they needed more understanding of the Supreme Court verdict and Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

On May 9, the PTI had filed a petition and contended that Maryam could not hold any party position as she was convicted by a court of law on July 6, 2018, in a corruption case (Avenfield reference), filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Earlier this month, an accountability court in Lahore had extended Maryam Nawaz’s remand by 14 days. Maryam had appeared before the court in connection with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.

Yousaf Abbas, a cousin of Maryam who was also arrested by NAB the same day, was produced before the court alongside the PML-N leader and was also remanded into the accountability watchdog's custody for 14 days.