LHC suspends by-poll schedule for NA-175

A three-member bench of the Lahore High Court, headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, on Wednesday suspended the by-election schedule issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for NA-175 after the disqualification of PTI’s Jamshed Dasti. The petitioner had challenged his disqualification before the LHC’s Multan Bench. Due to the sensitivity of the matter, the bench proposed the constitution of a larger bench and referred the case to the court’s principal seat. Subsequently, the petitioner filed an additional plea seeking early hearing, drawing the court’s attention to the ECP’s announced by-election schedule. He argued that delaying the hearing would amount to depriving him of his legal right. The petitioner further submitted that funds were being allocated for development projects, which would be wasted if the ECP’s decision was later overturned. As proceedings began, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the ECP does not have the authority to disqualify a candidate without a court’s declaration. He maintained that the ECP had violated procedure in disqualifying his client. Counsel Ishtiaq Chaudhry informed the court that the matter originated from applications received by the speaker of the National Assembly, who then forwarded a reference to the ECP. He cited a Supreme Court judgment stating that the ECP cannot disqualify a person without a judicial declaration and claimed the procedure was not followed in Dasti’s case. Following the arguments, the bench suspended the ECP’s by-election schedule and issued a notice to the ECP to submit its response. Speaking to journalists afterward, Jamshed Dasti said he was being punished for standing with Imran Khan. He expressed optimism in the judiciary and hoped that justice would be served.

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