Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday received a partial reprieve as the lahore High Court suspended an election tribunal’s decision barring him from contesting the July 25 general election from Rawalpindi.
The Punjab Election Appellate Tribunal presided by Justice Ibadur Rehman lodhi had ruled on Wednesday that Abbasi was not honest as per certain provisions of the Constitution and disqualified him for life from any public office. Abbasi yesterday challenged the decision in the lahore High Court where a two-member bench headed by Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi suspended his disqualification till final adjudication of his appeal.
The lahore High Court bench also summoned the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan on July 2. The suspension of the disqualification means that Abbasi is still in the race.