Supreme Court of Pakistan Sets Deadline to End Political Disqualification Controversy

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has adjourned the hearing until Thursday on a case that will finally settle the controversy over lifetime disqualification of leading politicians such as former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan. This decision will end the dispute around the period of disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution and the Elections Act 2017, which had previously yielded contradictory interpretations. A 2018 judgment had declared that disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) was for life but changes made in the Elections Act 2017 restricted it to a five-year term.

During the hearing, the chief justice mentioned that there was a perception that the court wanted to benefit individuals or groups, but emphasized that they are simply trying to settle a legal issue. Nawaz Sharif, a frontrunner for a fourth term in the upcoming general elections, had been disqualified in the Panama Papers case in 2017, while his rival Imran Khan was disqualified in the Toshakhana case last year based on the same law. The interpretation of Article 62 (1) (f) clashed with the changes made in the Elections Act 2017; therefore, the issue is still unsettled.

The seven-judge bench agreed to hear arguments both in favor and against lifelong disqualification, indicating that the court aims to resolve the issue and ensure legal clarity. Following a petition to reject Nawaz Sharif's nomination papers, the Appellate Tribunal registrar's office in Lahore raised an objection against the appeal on the grounds of missing documentation, highlighting the absence of a certified copy of the returning officer’s decision accompanying the appeal. The case is of significance, as it will determine the future for not only Sharif and Khan but for many other politicians as well. Govt:Hearing adjourned until January 4: SC for ending uncertainty over length of disqualification under Article 62(1)(f).