The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the vice chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), from participating in elections for five years.
The ECP, under Article 63 (1)(h) of the Constitution, follows a special court’s verdict under the Official Secrets Act. Qureshi, convicted in the cipher case, received a 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence, which disqualified him from the forthcoming general elections on February 8 and future polls.
This ruling emerged after the special court found both Qureshi and PTI founder Imran Khan guilty, sentencing them each to a decade in prison. The case involved the unauthorized disclosure of a confidential cable from Pakistan’s Washington ambassador.
Despite his disqualification under the Constitution and Section 232 of the Elections Act 2017, the electoral process in Tharparkar’s NA-214, where Qureshi was a candidate, remains unaffected. This is due to regulations stipulating election termination only upon a candidate’s death.
The ECP’s notification elaborates on the judgment passed on January 30, 2024, which outlines Qureshi’s convictions under various sections of the Official Secrets Act of 1923. Consequently, Qureshi’s eligibility for the 2024 general elections and any future electoral contests has been revoked for five years, as detailed in the ECP’s formal announcement.
