ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed petitions seeking disqualification of former President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry.

 IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued detailed verdict. “As a judge, I do not claim supremacy over elected representatives. High standard of Sadiq and Amin does not exist for any office holder other than elected representatives,” he said in his judgment.

 “This measure is not even for un-elected people under whose government half-life of this country has passed,” he added. “Disqualification under Article 62 (1)(f) has profound implications. Parliament can form its own mechanism of self-accountability for elected representatives,” he pointed out.

 “Fawad Chaudhry and Asif Ali Zardari are not convicted by any court. Disqualification of both public representatives has been sought on disputed facts,” he stated. “Determining disputed facts requires investigation. Political opponents of both representatives will benefit during investigation,” he remarked.

 "If both are declared eligible after investigation, there will be no compensation for them for damage they suffered," he emphasised.

 "Court's' involvement in such investigations undermines public confidence in elected representatives," ruling said. "Court's involvement into such matters also waste time of ordinary litigants," it added.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 11 2022

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