IHC suspends NA-196 Jacobabad bypolls

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from conducting by-elections in NA-196 Jacobabad constituency.

IHC’s Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb suspended the bypolls on the seat held by PTI MNA and former federal minister Muhammad Mian Soomro. He had approached the court after being de-notified as MNA by the election commission.

The counsel for the petitioner, Barrister Zainab Janjua, told the court that her client is one of those PTI MNA who did not submit his resignation. She added that National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf declared the seat vacant due to the member’s absence for 40 days.

The lawyer said the petitioner is out of the country and cannot travel much due to health issues, despite which the ECP de-notified him and announced by-polls.

The judge said that the petitioner did not submit a leave application and remained absent from the assembly for 40 days. He asked the lawyer to confirm if the petitioner intends to go to the assembly. The judge was informed that he will return on September 27.

The court suspended the by-elections on the NA-196 Jacobabad seat until the next hearing scheduled to be held in September. The high court issued notices to the law ministry, National Assembly (NA) secretary and the ECP.

Last week, the ECP de-notified PTI MNA Muhammad Mian Soomro and announced bypolls. According to the schedule, the polls were supposed to be held on October 2 and nomination papers were being accepted from August 25 to 27.

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had declared the seat of Muhammad Mian Soomro as vacant due to his forty days consecutive absence without seeking leave.

The politician had also asked the NA speaker to be granted leave due to his engagements. The speaker said that the request was made after the passage of the stipulated timeframe.

Ashraf presented the matter in the form of a motion before the lower house, which then approved it with a majority vote. This was the first time that a lawmaker lost his seat due to a motion being passed by parliament.

Soomro was elected from NA-196, Jacobabad in 2018 general elections. He served as Minister for Privatization in the cabinet of former prime minister Imran Khan which was ousted in April this year.

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