SC turns down Ishaq Dar’s plea against disqualification over absence

Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) has turned down a plea from Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar against his disqualification over his absence from court proceedings on Tuesday. 

It is pertinent to mention here that the dismissal of Ishaq Dar’s plea will nullify a stay order obtained from him against a notification for his Senate membership, which requires him to take oath within two months or else his seat would be vacated.

During the hearing, the assistant attorney general (AAG) said that under an ordinance promulgated by the President, a Senate’s seat would be declared vacated after a lawmaker did not take oath within two months of being notified as the member of the Upper House of the Parliament.

“This rule will not apply to him because his client has yet to be notified.” 

The top court questioned that why the applicant has not appeared before court as he had also skipped his previous hearing. To this, his counsel informed that he is ill and currently getting medical treatment abroad.

While hearing arguments from both sides, the apex court dismissed the plea.

Ishaq Dar was elected as a senator on a technocrat seat from Punjab in 2018. He could not take oath due to his stay in London. However, the SC suspended his membership over his failure to appear in court on May 8, 2018.