LHC seeks arguments on disqualification plea
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday sought arguments by June 13 on a plea requesting the disqualification of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as a member of the National Assembly (MNA) under Article 62 of the Constitution, read with Section 203(3) of the Elections Act, 2017.
Justice Khalid Ishaq was hearing the petition filed by Ashba Kamran, who urged the court to direct National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to send a reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for Bilawal's disqualification over alleged dual membership in two separate political parties, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP).
The petitioner argued that the ECP, as the constitutional watchdog of the electoral process, had failed to enforce Section 203(3) and its pre-election instructions issued on June 13, 2024, to all Returning Officers, which barred candidates from holding dual party memberships.
She alleged that Bilawal has continuously held dual positions, as chairman of PPP and, simultaneously, as an elected MNA from PPPP, both in the 2018 and 2024 general elections.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Bilawal calls for peace, says India must honour past treaties before dialogue
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday that Pakistan was ready to pursue peace with India but insisted that any meaningful engagement must begin with New Delhi honouring past agreements, particularly the Indus Waters Treaty. Speaking at the Middle East Institute in Washington, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a delegation with a clear mission: to seek peace through dialogue and diplomacy with India. 'You might ask why we are here in Washington and not speaking to our adversary… they refuse to talk,' he said, pointing to India's persistent unwillingness to engage. The PPP chairman emphasised that while Pakistan is open to new arrangements, agreements, and even treaties with India, progress can only be made if India first honours its existing commitments. 'If our dialogue and diplomacy in pursuit of peace are to be successful… then surely they must first abide by the old treaties and take back their decision, viz-a-viz the Indus Water Treaty,' he said. He criticised the Indian government's attitude toward dialogue and cooperation, noting that it had declined Pakistan's calls for joint investigations into acts of terrorism, rejected former US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate, and continues to rebuff Pakistan's overtures. 'India has belligerently refused. They refused cooperation on terror — you saw it. The Prime Minister of Pakistan said let's have an investigation, they said no. They refuse mediation, they refuse dialogue,' said the PPP chairman. He warned that such a refusal to engage in diplomacy would only escalate tensions. 'All that means is there will be more terrorism, there will be more war, and there will be no peace.' He added that while the Indian government may be willing to condemn its people to a perpetual state of conflict, Pakistan would not follow suit. 'I refuse to damn my people, and I refuse to damn the people of India to this fate.' Bilawal said this is why the Pakistani delegation would continue travelling 'from capital to capital' with a simple and urgent message: 'We want peace, and we need your help.'
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Bilawal Bhutto warns of escalating water disputes with India, calls for diplomatic engagement
Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leading Pakistan's high-level diplomatic delegation, issued a stern warning regarding India's water policies, stating they could force future generations into conflict. Speaking at the Middle East Institute in Thursday, he emphasized that any future war might not allow time for international mediation, referencing former U.S. President Donald Trump's past interventions. Bhutto Zardari criticised India's actions concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, accusing New Delhi of infringing upon the water rights of Pakistan's 240 million citizens. He highlighted that such provocations are pushing the region toward a potential water crisis. Addressing the Kashmir issue, he noted that while India previously labeled it an internal matter, international perspectives have shifted, recognizing it as a global dispute. He pointed out that even within India, there's growing acknowledgment of Kashmir as a bilateral issue. During his visit, Bhutto Zardari and the Pakistani delegation met with several U.S. Congress members, including Democrats Tom Suozzi and Ilhan Omar, and Republican Jack Bergman. These discussions centered on recent Indo-Pak tensions, violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, and Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. Delegation members, including Sherry Rehman and Musadik Malik, also engaged with U.S. senators to highlight concerns over India's water policies. Bhutto Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to peace, expressing readiness for dialogue with India. However, he cautioned that continued refusal from India to engage in discussions would only exacerbate existing issues. He also accused India of interfering in Balochistan and supporting banned groups like the BLA and TTP. In a pointed remark, he stated, 'This time, we downed six of their aircraft; next time, they might not have an air force left.' He urged India's allies to counsel New Delhi towards peaceful resolutions, emphasizing that without addressing the Kashmir conflict, regional peace remains unattainable.
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Only ceasefire between Pakistan, India represents true victory, says Bilawal
Only a lasting ceasefire between Pakistan and India represents true victory, said former Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday. On May 7, India launched airstrikes on Pakistani targets to 'avenge last month's killing of 26 people by gunmen in Pahalgam town', about 89km east of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan denied any involvement in the attack. In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) at the United Nations headquarters, Zardari, also the chairman of Pakistan People's Party, said that there is no 'real victory' until the final ceasefire. 'I think the very easy answer to who won this war is who's lying to their people? Whose media was lying to their people? Whose government was lying to their people during the conflict and after the conflict? It took one month for the Indian government to admit that we downed their planes. Why were they hiding this fact from their people? Because the truth is they lost. As our initial self-defense for their unilateral violation of our sovereignty, we downed six Indian jets and they refused to admit it up until literally yesterday. We've achieved a ceasefire. That's important. I think that's the true victory,' said Zardari. IMF warns Pakistan-India tensions could threaten reform, fiscal goals Pakistan and India announced on May 10 that they had agreed on an immediate ceasefire, but Zardari admitted that it is a fragile ceasefire. 'This is, I think, a fragile ceasefire. In order for this to be a lasting ceasefire, we appeal to the international community to play its role because Pakistan has said that they're willing to talk. There's only one country that says they're not willing to talk and that's India. So obviously that's not a sustainable situation. And therefore, it is our effort to engage the international community for them to play their role to establish peace, which must include resolving the issue of Kashmir, resolving India's water dispute that India has now started illegally and having a proper conversation about terrorism,' said the former foreign minister. Zardari stated that both parties are most likely to resolve their disputes through dialogue. 'I think the most important and the most sort of possible achievement would be for us to start a dialogue. Dialogue and diplomacy has to be the start for us to address any and all issues. So Pakistan is willing to talk with India. We want peace, but peace is not possible, as you say, until we engage in a dialogue. Of course, I believe as we relied or there was the international community's involvement in achieving our ceasefire. Therefore, it's reasonable to believe that if the international community plays its role in a similar way, perhaps, we will able to establish perpetual peace, at least in South Asia,' he said.
