The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday restored Sheikh Muhammad Akram of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-89-Jhang setting aside the decision of an election tribunal to de-seat him.
The three-member bench of apex court headed by Justice Saqib Nisar on December 8, 2015 had reserved its decision over a petition of Sheikh Muhammad Akram challenging the election tribunal’s verdict.
Bench member Justice Qazi Faiz Essa read the verdict.
The election tribunal in April 2014 on a petition filed by runner-up candidate Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) had disqualified Sheikh Muhammad Akram and ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to notify Ludhianvi as elected.
Ludhianvi in his petition had alleged that Akram was not an eligible candidate as he did not fulfill the condition of being “sadiq and ameen” (truthful and trustworthy) as he had not mentioned a first information report (FIR) registered him in his nomination forms, besides the name of his father written in the papers and identity card also did not match.
The tribunal had also disqualified Akram from contesting the by-election.
Akram contested the tribunal’s verdict that there was no “solid reason” for his disqualification.
Akram had defeated Ludhianvi in the May 11, 2013, elections with a slim of lead of 2,726.
