A bench reconstituted by the Islamabad High Court to hear a case related to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s disqualification was once again dissolved on Thursday.
Justice Athar Minallah, part of the two-member divisional bench formed by the IHC a day ago, recused himself from hearing the case citing a conflict of interests.
The divisional bench headed by Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui was to hear a petition filed by Abdul Wahab Baloch, a member of the Justice and Democratic Party, challenging Imran’s nomination papers for NA-243 over Sita White issue. Recusing himself, Justice Athar Minallah stated that he has had ties with former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in the past, and hence he cannot hear a petition filed by a member of the party founded by the former chief justice.
The petition, filed on June 12, argues that the PTI chief provided wrong information in his nomination papers and did not mention Tyrian White as his daughter. He is, therefore, neither Sadiq nor Ameen, and should be disqualified under Article 62 of the constitution, the petition states.
The new bench was formed after the former bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had recused itself from hearing the case following the petitioner’s objections.
After the latest dissolution, the matter of the bench has been once again referred to IHC chief justice.
Published in Daily Times, August 17th 2018.
