Islamabad September 26 2022: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday reserved verdict on a petition seeking to declare Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Leader Ishaq Dar’s Senate seat as vacant for not taken oath to his office.
Ishaq Dar’s counsel Salman Aslam Butt appeared before the commission on behalf of former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
During hearing, ECP member observed that the government had issued an ordinance that stipulated that if a member did not take oath to his Senate seat within 60 days, his seat would be deemed empty.
Counsel Butt argued that Dar’s notification regarding winning of Senate seat was issued on March 09, 2018 and it was suspended on March 29, same year.
After dismissal of a petition from Supreme Court, that notification was restored.
The lawyer argued that the ordinance did not apply on Ishaq Dar as he could not take oath to his seat when his success notification was already suspended.
Dar’s lawyer contended that under Article 63-P, no one could be disqualified under a law introduced through an ordinance as the ordinance had already been lapsed.
Salman Butt contended that the ordinance enacted by the PTI government was unconstitutional.
