Supreme Court of Pakistan Ends Lifetime Politician Disqualifications Under Article 62(1)(f)

Supreme Court of Pakistan Ends Lifetime Politician Disqualifications Under Article 62(1)(f)

slamabad, The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faiz Isa, announced the abolition of lifetime disqualifications for politicians under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution. The live-televised judgment declared that politicians' disqualification period under this article would now be limited to 5 years, overturning the previous lifetime ban.

The Supreme Court clarified that Article 62(1)(f) cannot be interpreted in isolation and rejected the notion that it grants the power to disqualify individuals under Article 184(3) of the Constitution. The decision also reversed the verdict in the Samiullah Baloch case, emphasizing that the disqualification period should not extend beyond 5 years.

The 7-member bench's decision, with a 1-6 ratio, saw disagreement from Justice Yahya Afridi. Post-decision, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and IPP chief Jahangir Tareen are now eligible to participate in the February 8 elections.

Justice Yahya Afridi, in his dissenting note, supported the lifetime disqualification stance, asserting that the decision in the Samiullah Baloch case should stand until the declaration remains.

The written judgment, issued by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, emphasized that Article 62(1)(f) must be considered within the broader context of the Constitution. It declared the previous interpretation in the Samiullah Baloch case null and void, highlighting that judicial declarations should not rewrite the law without legal procedures.

This decision brings significant changes to the political landscape, allowing previously disqualified politicians to participate in upcoming elections.

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