Pak CEC dismisses plea challenging Zardari’s electoral eligibility

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Hamid Ali Mirza has dismissed an application challenging President Asif Ali Zardari’s eligibility to contest the presidential election in light of the Supreme Court’s detailed verdict on the controversial amnesty law, the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

“In the circumstances, as no prima facie case has been made out by the petitioner his petition, being not maintainable, is dismissed,” Mirza said in his judgement.

The judgement further said that the petitioner has failed to produce any finding by a competent court of law to prove Zardari was a convict.

The election commissioner also dismissed three other applications filed by Waheed Ahmed Kamal, Muhammad Ashfaq Chaudhry and Syed Mahmood Ali seeking action against Zardari.

“Since approval for the appeal was subject to the acceptance of the main reference, which had been dismissed for want of merit and jurisdiction, the applications stood infructuous, and were, therefore, being disposed of,” The Daily Times quoted Mirza’s verdict, as saying. (ANI)