ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Ahsan Iqbal Friday submitted an application before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to bar former president Pervez Musharaf from contesting the elections from any constituency in Pakistan.
Ahsan Iqbal maintained in the application that general (Retd) Pervez Musharraf repeatedly abrogated, suspended or held in abeyance the Constitution of Pakistan and these actions of high treason are undeniable facts and have been so held by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in PLD 2009 SC 879.
He added that among others, Musharaf is also wanted in various cases involving the killings of the innocent people in Lal Masjid operation, murdering of Benazir Bhutto and Nawab Akbar Bugti, disappearance of persons without due process of law, suspending and arresting the honourable judges of the superior courts. He said that in the facts and circumstances of the case, it is prayed that Musharaf should be disqualified from contesting the elections from any constituency in Pakistan.
However, sources in ECP termed it as a futile exercise. They were of the view that Returning Officer is the right forum for the submission of such objections against any candidate.
They also believed that PML- N did this since the party had no intention to harm Musharaf and this development also confirms that PML (N) has soft corner for the former president. “But they are opting for such tactics just to avoid public’s wrath,” they added. Earlier, Returning Officer (RO) for the constituency NA-48 of federal capital Friday exempted former president general (R) Pervez Musharaf from personal appearance due to security concerns at the time of scrutiny of his nomination papers.
All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) central leader Dr Muhammad Amjad appeared before the RO Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Azam Khan and requested him to grant exemption from personal appearance to former president Musharaf since he was facing life threats.
The RO granted accepted the application and granted exemption to Musharaf.
Meanwhile, two voters of the same constituency submitted their objections against the candidature of Musharaf to contest the elections from NA-48.
One Abdul Nasir Abbasi contended that Musharaf is usurper, violated the oath taken as member of armed forces and violated the oath taken as President of Pakistan. Therefore, he is neither Sadiq nor Amin as contemplated in the constitution of Pakistan.
He maintained that the respondent has deliberately made a false declaration in his nomination papers that he is qualified to be elected as member of National Assembly and do not suffer from any dis-qualification laid down in the Constitution as well as in Representative of the People Act 1976.
Therefore, he prayed that the nomination papers of Musharaf may be rejected.
Another objection petitioner Ahmed Abbasi submitted his objections against Musharaf and maintained that Musharaf violated the Constitution and he is also proclaimed offender in many criminal cases. Therefore, he does not fulfill the requirements of Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
In this connection, the RO summoned all the objection petitioners on April 7 while the nomination papers of Musharaf will also be scrutinized on the same day.