Govt to challenge ECP’s ruling in Maryam case: Firdous

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Media Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday said that the government had decided to challenge the ruling of Election Commission of Pakistan’ (ECP) in Maryam Nawaz case. Addressing a press conference, the special assistant said the cabinet has also decided to file a review petition against ECP’s recent decision declaring PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz eligible to hold post of vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). “ECP’s verdict on Maryam’s case will be challenged in the Supreme Court, the verdict goes against prior court verdicts against the PML-N vice president,” she said, She said Maryam Nawaz is a convicted person and cannot hold office of a political party under the law. “The election commission’s verdict in the case deemed the PMLN stalwart to be a convict, yet failed to ensure justice,” she added. Earlier today, the ECP dismissed the plea challenging the appointment of Maryam Nawaz as vice president of the PML-N. A three-member ECP ruled that Maryam Nawaz can hold the party office conditionally. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Furrukh Habib, Maleeka Bukhari, Kanwal Shozab and Javeria Zafar had challenged the party position of Maryam Nawaz. Earlier, PTI counsel Advocate Hassan Maan had argued that Section 203 should be read with Article 62 and 63. A PTI candidate in South Punjab was dismissed from party designation on the same principle which bars disqualified leaders from holding any position in party, he said. He added that the Supreme Court said Section 203 was formulated just to benefit one person. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) counsel argued that some political parties are headed by their presidents, some by chairman and some by emirs. He continued that the only person which matters is the one having authority, and vice president does not possess any power. The apex court had also mentioned about party head in its verdict, the counsel added while requesting the ECP to dismiss PTI’s petition.