The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday suspended the Senate by-election for the vacant seat of Murad Saeed after issuing a stay order on a petition that challenged his de-notification.
A three-member bench of the ECP reviewed the petition concerning this issue and issued notices to all relevant parties.
During the proceedings, the attorney representing petitioner MPA Jalal Khan appeared before the commission and asserted that Saeed had been elected as a senator but failed to take the oath of office.
He argued, “Since Saeed did not take the oath, it raises questions about how he was de-notified as a member,” stating that an individual is regarded as a member of the house only after taking the oath.
The counsel for the petitioner further urged the ECP to delay the by-election and clarify the existing uncertainty surrounding the matter.
After considering the arguments presented, the ECP granted the request and postponed the scheduled by-election on April 23, issuing a stay order and adjourning the case until May 7.
As per an official notification, the ECP stated that Murad Saeed had been disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, leading to his de-notification and the vacancy of his Senate seat.
Later, the ECP also suspended Saeed’s disqualification order dated March 25 until further orders.
Murad Saeed disqualified after May 9 sentence
The ECP had disqualified Saeed from his Senate position following his conviction in a case from May 9.
The ECP’s notification regarding Saeed’s disqualification referenced his sentencing by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on March 7.
Earlier, Murad Saeed was identified among 47 proclaimed offenders who received a 10-year prison sentence in connection with the May 9 General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case by a Rawalpindi ATC.
Read more: Election commission disqualifies PTI leader Murad Saeed
