The Supreme Court's verdict declaring Nawaz Sharif disqualified from holding public office under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution is for life, according to some lawyers. Ahsan Bhoon, Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council said that Nawaz Sharif's disqualification was for life in purview of the Supreme Court verdict of 2013 SCMR 1271.
Bhoon stated that a three-member bench of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in the Abdul Ghafoor Lehri case held in 2013 that disqualifications under Article 63 of the Constitution are of a temporary nature while under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution they are for perpetuity.
Former Additional Attorney General for Pakistan Shah Khawar concurred and stated that if a parliamentarian fails to meet the qualifications for membership of Majilis-e-Shoora under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution then he or she would be barred for life. Shah Khawar further said the five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court unanimously disqualified Nawaz Sharif under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution which means the ban on his holding public office would last forever. Former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Kamran Murtaza said that there is no remedy for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017