Leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Khurram Sher Zaman and Usman Dar on Monday last approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the disqualification of former President Asif Ali Zardari under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution for non-disclosure of a luxury apartment in the US and expensive vehicles in his nomination papers for general elections 2018.
During the course of hearing, CJ Athar questioned why the political cases are brought to the courts. He asked the petitioners that the competent forum for hearing of this case is Election Commission of Pakistan, adding that they could also have approach the investigative agencies regarding the matter.
The CJ said they respect the Parliament and want these issues be settled there. He asked the petitioners why they had not taken this matter to the Parliament.
In their petition, they contended that Asif Zardari is neither honest (amen) nor sagacious in terms of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution and also Section 231 of the Election Act. Therefore, the respondent No 1 (Asif Zardari) is not qualified to be elected or chosen as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA).
The petitioners urged the court to hold and declare that PPP co-chairman is permanently disqualified from being and shall forthwith cease to be MNA. They requested the court to declare that Zardari is not qualified to be elected or chosen or to officiate as or exercise powers of the 'party head' within the meaning of Article 63A of the Constitution.
They stated that the JIT in its final report in fake accounts case revealed and provided 'irrefutable' proof that Asif Zardari is the owner of a valuable luxury apartment in the Upper East of the Borough of Manhattan, New York City, the US (being Apartment 37F in the building known as 'The Belaire Condominium' bearing the address 524, East 72nd Street, 37F, Manhattan) ("New York Apartment") purchased for US $ 530,000 in 2007 by him and two luxury armoured vehicles (being Mitsubishi Pajero vehicles (Model 2010), registration numbers ST-347 and ST-348 and chassis numbers MMTGRKH80AF000467 and MMTGRKH80AF002252 respectively imported from abroad and registered in the name of Zardari with the Excise & Taxation Department, Islamabad.
They added that both the apartments and the two armoured vehicles have not been disclosed in the Form B of the nomination papers filed by respondent No. 1 on 6-6-2018 as a candidate for NA-213 in the 2018 general election.