Yosuf Raza Gilani Disqualified and Dismissed by Supreme Court of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has disqualified Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani in its short order of the NA Speaker ruling case, Geo News reported.

"Yousuf Raza Gilani is disqualified from membership of parliament from April 26, the date of his conviction. He has also ceased to be the prime minister of Pakistan," said chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, reading the order.

"The Election Commission shall issue a notice of disqualification and the president is required to take necessary steps to ensure continuation of democratic process," he added.

The apex court was seized with identical petitions challenging NA Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza's rulings not to send a reference for the prime minister's disqualification to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain heard the identical petitions, filed by the PML-N, Tehreek-e-Insaf and others against the NA speaker's ruling over the disqualification of the prime minister.

During today's proceedings, the Chief Justice remarked that PM Gilani's conviction could have been suspended if it was challenged. 'Only the appellate court can review a judicial ruling, no one can wipe away a judicial ruling.'

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Yosuf Raza Gilani Disqualified and Dismissed by Supreme Court of Pakistan