ECP disqualifies Karachi Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra

KARACHI (92 News) – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified Karachi Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra for defecting to the Mujahir Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). Farooq Sattar of the MQM-P had challenged the candidature of Arshad Vohra after he defected to the Pak Sarzameen Party. On the other hand, the PSP has announced to challenge the verdict in the apex court. The ECP had reserved the decision on the petition on the last hearing of the case. The chief election commissioner, heading a three-member bench, read out the already reserved verdict on Wednesday. Talking to the media, Vohra's counsel Syed Hafizuddin said that his client was nominated by the MQM-London and he left the party because of its treason. He clarified that the MQM-P was a new party and had nothing to do with the London-based faction. He also said that Vohra reserves the right to file an appeal against the decision. MQM-P Senator Mian Attique declared the decision ‘a triumph of truth and righteousness’. He predicted that the next deputy mayor will be from the MQM hailing from Karachi. Vohra, an industrialist and a former chairman of SITE Association, was an MPA from the PS-115 constituency before he contested and won the local government election. He is also facing a case in an anti-terrorism court, pertaining to money laundering.