Ansar Burney seeks full implementation of articles 62, 63
KARACHI: Chairman of the Ansar Burney Trust International and former minister for human rights, Ansar Burney, has sent a petition to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhruddin G Ibrahim seeking full implementation of articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
“I write to you in relation to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s recent attempts to seek new declarations under oath from parliamentarians and the members of provincial assemblies individually to confirm they do not fall for disqualification under article 63(1)(c); and to respectfully submit that this action undermines (as a whole) both articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution,” says the petition, according to a press release.
Ansar Burney said it was understood that the lawmakers from whom the commission now seeks fresh declarations previously while filing nomination papers with the commission provided declarations on oath confirming that they fulfilled the qualifications specified in Article 62 and were not subject to any of the disqualifications specified in Article 63.
“However, despite the declarations, at the time of filing nominations, several esteemed lawmakers have been found to be eligible for disqualification by the Supreme Court under Article 63(1)(c) in contrast to their previous declarations,” Burney said.
Ansar Burney said the current attempt to seek a selective declaration in relation to Article 63(1)(c) alone undermines the other sub-articles within Article 63, and is not only discriminatory but also militates Article 25 of the Constitution.
“Only the effective enforcement of both articles 62 and 63 across the board shall guarantee constitutionalism and democracy in the country. “Any attempt to overlook or avoid the other remaining sub-articles of both articles 62 and 63 would be unconstitutional.”
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