SHC dismisses Faisal Vawda's petition against Waseem Akhtar
Two-member bench of the SHC headed by Justice Muneeb Akhtar dismissed Vawda's plea.
KARACHI (Dunya News) The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday dismissed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda’s petition against newly-elected Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar’s oath taking ceremony, stating that the respondent cannot be disqualified until he is convicted in the case.
Waseem Akhtar, a former MP, has been held for more than a month at Karachi‘s central prison and is unlikely to be released any time soon. He is accused of several crimes, including instigating city-wide riots in May 2007 and arranging medical care for wanted terrorists.
A two-member bench of the SHC headed by Justice Muneeb Akhtar today informed the plaintiff’s counsel that Waseem Akhtar cannot be declared ineligible as he has not been indicted in any case yet.
Earlier, Vawda’s lawyers had informed court that Waseem Akhtar has been involved in over 30 cases including the one regarding May 12 riots, rebellion, terror facilitation and others.
“A person involved in heinous crimes cannot be allowed to become Karachi mayor, that too from prison,” the PTI leader told journalists outside the court.
WASEEM AKHTAR TAKES OATH
Soon after the court decision, oath-taking ceremony of newly elected mayor of Karachi, Waseem Akhtar was held in Polo Ground.
Akhtar was moved to the venue from Central Jail in an armed personnel carrier.
Speaking to reporters, MQM leader Farooq Sattar stated that an official notification was to be issued on August 29 but delay by the authorities was concerning. However, the ECP issued notifications of all the victorious chairmen and vice-chairmen in different general councils along with those of deputy mayor and the mayor less than an hour before the ceremony.
Notifications of victorious candidates in District West of Karachi are yet to be issued.
