PAT challenges Nawaz Sharif’s election as party head

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LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) has moved the Supreme Court to declare null and void the election of Nawaz Sharif as president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

PAT’s leader Ishtiaq Chaudhry filed a petition, in which he contended that parliament has passed Election Act 2017 through which any ineligible and corrupt person can be head of any party, adding this amendment could lead to the country being transformed into a “banana republic”.

According to the petitioner, the parliament cannot pass the legislation against the constitution, whereas it is also against the spirit of the Islamic education.

In his application, he stated that the Election Act is the violation of both the laws; hence the court should declare it null and void election process.

The National Assembly on Oct 2 passed the Elections Bill 2017 amid a strong protest from the opposition parties, which would enable an individual who is disqualified to be a parliamentarian, to hold the office of a political party.

The next day Nawaz Sharif was re-elected as the president of Pakistan’s ruling PML-N party paving the way for the ousted prime minister’s return to politics.