ECP de-notifies dual national PML-N senators

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has de-notified two PML-N senators – Haroon Akhtar and Sadia Abbasi – in the light of the Supreme Court’s verdict, declaring their Senate membership void over dual nationality.

They were disqualified by the apex court for holding dual nationalities under Article 63 (1)(c) of the Constitution at the time of filing their nomination papers for upper house of the parliament.

On Oct 17, the Supreme Court had disqualified the PML-N leaders – former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s sister Sadia Abbasi and Haroon Akhtar Khan – as members of the Senate over dual nationality.

A seven-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold election to these two Senate seats afresh.

It held that both the PML-N leaders possessed foreign nationality at the time of submission of their nomination papers for the Senate election earlier this year. They are disqualified as members of the Senate,it ruled.