ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday halted the Senate by-election for the vacant seat of Murad Saeed after issuing a stay order on a petition challenging his de-notification.
A three-member bench of the ECP heard the case and issued notices to all relevant parties while adjourning further proceedings.
During the hearing, counsel for petitioner MPA Jalal Khan argued that although Murad Saeed had been elected as a senator, he never took the oath of office. The lawyer maintained that without taking the oath, questions arise about the legality of his de-notification, as a person is formally considered a member only after being sworn in.
The petitioner requested the commission to delay the by-election and address the legal ambiguity surrounding the matter. Accepting the plea, the ECP postponed the by-election scheduled for April 23 and adjourned the hearing until May 7.
Earlier, on March 26, the ECP had disqualified Murad Saeed from his Senate seat following his conviction in a May 9 case. The disqualification was based on a March 7 ruling by an anti-terrorism court, which sentenced him to 10 years in prison in connection with the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
According to an official notification, the ECP declared that Murad Saeed had become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, resulting in his de-notification and the vacancy of his Senate seat.