Pakistan's apex court says convict cannot contest election

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 4 (ANI): The Pakistan Supreme Court has said that a convict could not contest the election until the decision of that person's sentencing was suspended and that a case that did not involve any criminal aspect should not be proceeded with if the petitioner died, The Tribune Express reported.
The daily reported that a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez, while hearing two separate matters on Wednesday, disposed off the application of former Balochistan finance advisor Khalid Langove to participate in the general elections.
During the hearing of Langove appeal, the chief Justice passed critical remarks about the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), saying that the graft buster had become a facilitator of corruption, as it did not appeal against a lesser punishment in a mega corruption case.
Chief Justice Isa remarked that a truckload of money was seized from Khalid Langove's house, which was not made from business or property. However, he was sentenced to only 26 months. He wondered why NAB did not appeal against this lesser, asking if NAB was under his control.
The petitioner's lawyer said that Langove wanted to contest the general elections; therefore, the decision should be suspended. The chief justice remarked that such people should be kept away from contesting elections. These people were the enemies of Balochistan, he added.
The chief justice further remarked that no one would have been punished so little in the history of NAB. He further remarked that in small cases, NAB filed an immediate appeal. The chief justice also said that NAB had become a facilitator of corruption.
In a separate case, the bench upheld the disqualification of former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) lawmaker Khadim Hussain on the basis of possessing a fake degree. The chief justice said that the case had ended with the death of the applicant and it was better not to proceed with it anymore.
The petitioner's lawyer said that the heirs of the petitioner insisted that the case should be heard to remove the stain of fake degree on the petitioner. He added that Khadim Hussain received his education under the name of Muhammad Akhtar Khadim.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar said that if the petitioner were alive, something could have been proved but now, after his death, how could his relatives prove his correct name. Muhammad Akhtar Khadim, aka Khadim Hussain, was elected a member of the National Assembly in 2008 but was disqualified by a court. (ANI)