ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking disqualification of a PPP member of the Sindh Assembly and sister of Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur.

“We are satisfied to hold that petitioners have not been able to make out a case of disqualification of respondent under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973,” a three-member ECP bench said.

The petition is dismissed, it said, while announcing the verdict on the eligibility of Ms Talpur, who is president of women wing of PPP Sindh.

The verdict was reserved on Oct 27, following the conclusion of arguments by both sides.

Says petitioner failed to prove PPP leader did not declare properties in her nomination papers

Petitioners, including PTI MPAs Arsalan Taj and Rabia Azfar, had sought Ms Talpur’s disqualification on the grounds that the PPP leader had concealed two landed properties in Shahdadkot and Larkana at the time of filing her nomination papers with the ECP.

The electoral watchdog said that a contesting candidate has to satisfy the returning officer at the time of filing of his/her nominations papers that he/she is fully qualified to be elected as a member of the assembly and did not suffer any of the disqualification.

It said that perusal of record revealed that the nomination papers of Faryal Talpur were challenged before the returning officer concerned under Article 62(1)(f) of the constitution but objections of petitioners had been rejected by the returning officer, PS-10, Larkana-1 vide his order issued on June 19, 2018 with the observation that there is no any “misrepresentation” or “concealment” in the nomination form of Faryal Talpur.

Hence her nomination “is hereby accepted”.

The ECP said the record also reveals that the order of acceptance of nomination papers was challenged before the Sindh High Court but there was nothing to show, either the same was pending adjudication or otherwise.

It said that two factories — Qalandari Rice Mill and Shahdadkot Rice Mill — stood at the two properties alleged to have been concealed had duly been declared by Ms Talpur.

“During the course of arguments it was also contended by the learned counsel for the respondent that on [the] said two pieces of landed properties, two rice mills namely Qalandari Rice Mill and Shahdadkot Rice Mill, have been constructed and the same have been declared at each and every time of declaration. It reveals from the record that said two mills are mentioned in the Form-B (Statement of Assets and Liabilities) at S. No. 2 (a)(iv) and (v) furnished by respondent,” the order reads.

Ms Talpur, who is also chairperson of Sindh Assembly’s Standing Committee on Home, welcomed the ECP’s decision.

In a statement, the PPP legislator termed the verdict ‘a victory of the truth’.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2022