Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday withdrew a disqualification reference filed in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) supremo and Member National Assembly (MNA) Asif Ali Zardari.
PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman had filed a reference in the ECP on December 20 seeking the disqualification of the former president for allegedly concealing his New York apartment in his tax returns.
“I want to move Supreme Court against the PPP leader,” Zaman told media while taking back his reference. “We have come across evidence that we will only present before a top forum,” he stated. “We have internationally and nationally verified documents. Zardari will not be spared. We are prepared and will approach the top court. We will bring the case to a logical conclusion,” he added.
On December 27, the ECP had reviewed Zaman’s reference and accorded approval for an initial hearing.
Earlier, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said the PTI had directed its Sindh lawmaker Zaman to file a reference against Zardari for not mentioning his foreign assets in the nomination papers. “Zardari owns an apartment in the United States. Under Article 62/63, he was bound to declare his assets which he didn’t. He is not eligible to remain a member of the parliament anymore,” Chaudhry had said.
Published in Daily Times, January 11th 2019.
