PESHAWAR (Pakistan Post) – Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub and Senator Shibli Faraz have filed a petition in the Peshawar High Court challenging their disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The petition argues that the ECP’s decision is “illegal, unconstitutional, and motivated by mala fide intent.” The PTI leaders contended that the disqualification was announced without affording them the right to a fair hearing, violating fundamental principles of justice.
On Monday, the ECP disqualified nine PTI parliamentarians, including Ayub and Faraz, citing their conviction in the May 9 violence cases. The decision was based on Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, which disqualifies individuals convicted of offenses involving moral turpitude.
Other disqualified members include Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Zartaj Gul, Rai Haider Ali, Junaid Afzal Sahi, Rai Hassan Murtaza, and Ansar Iqbal. A formal notification was issued, declaring them ineligible to hold public office.
The disqualification follows the verdict of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Faisalabad, which sentenced the individuals to up to 10 years in prison in three separate cases related to the May 9 protests, sparked by the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The PTI leadership maintains that the convictions and subsequent disqualifications are politically motivated and aim to sideline the party’s top brass ahead of the next general elections.
