ECP delays judgement on plea against Maryam’s party post

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delayed its judgement on a petition challenging the appointment of Maryam Nawaz as vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) on Tuesday. The ECP will announce verdict on September 3. Chief Election Commissioner (rtd) Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza said, “We need more details related to this case and has to analyse the detailed written verdict of the Supreme Court (SC). Earlier, a three-member bench of the ECP headed by Sardar Raza Khan reserved its verdict on a petition challenging the appointment of Maryam Nawaz as the vice president of PML-N. During the hearing, the PML-N leader had requested the ECP to dismiss the plea, arguing that there was no restriction in the Constitution and Election Act on a convicted person holding a party’s vice presidency. After submitting reply and arguments from the counsels, the ECP reserved verdict and will announce the verdict on August 27. The petition was filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in May this year and contended that Maryam could not hold any party position as she was convicted by a court of law on July 6, 2018 in a corruption case (Avenfield reference), filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The PML-N leader had requested the ECP to dismiss the plea, arguing that there was no restriction in the Constitution and Election Act on a convicted person holding a party’s vice presidency. Maryam being convicted person cannot hold any party office: Maleeka After the hearing, talking to the journalists, Parliamentary Secretary for Law Maleeka Bukhari said the PML-N counsel today took a U-Turn before election commission when he stated that Maryam Nawaz is not vice president of PML (N). Maleeka Bukhari said Maryam Nawaz being a convicted person cannot hold any party office. Earlier, the ECP has issued notice to Maryam Nawaz in a plea seeking her removal as PML-N vice president.  however, a three-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan, will hear the petition filed by the PTI leaders.