ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday rejected the disqualification reference against PTI Senator Saifullah Abro which had been filed by Senators Shahadat Awan and Majid Mahmood.
The reference alleged that Senator Abro did not meet the eligibility criteria for the technocrat seat and had a pending NAB reference. The petition further alleged that the affidavit filed by Senator Abro contained misleading information about his dependents, agricultural income and assets. It accused him of concealing his children’s ownership of agricultural land in the asset declaration submitted with his nomination papers.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani cited Article 63, para. 2, and referred the matter to the ECP under Clause (3) of the same Article, requesting the Commission to determine whether Senator Abro should be disqualified from membership of the Senate.
But the three-member bench of the commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja ultimately ruled in favor of Senator Abro and dismissed the disqualification reference.
The ECP delivered its reserved judgment on January 9, declaring Senator Abro qualified for the technocrat seat and dismissing the petition.
