The Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to decide the appeal by Shibli Faraz challenging his disqualification from the Senate.
A five‑member constitutional bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard Faraz’s petition after his colleague Omar Ayub withdrew his appeal. The bench includes Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Shakeel Ahmad.
Faraz, who had been disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution following a conviction by an anti‑terrorism court in Faisalabad, challenged the decision of the PHC which had indefinitely adjourned his petition—pending his surrender before the competent court.
During the hearing, counsel for Faraz, Gohar Ali Khan, argued that the decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to remove his client from the Senate had caused “great disgrace” and sought a stay on the by‑election to fill the vacant seat. The bench declined to stay the process.
The court sharply criticised the PHC’s decision to adjourn the case indefinitely and ordered that the high court hear the petition and decide it on its merits without further delay. The appeal in the Supreme Court was then disposed of.
A by-election will soon fill the vacant Senate seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the bench said it won’t interfere in the election process.
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