Supreme Court Suspends Disqualification of PML-N Lawmaker Adil Bazai

In a major development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to disqualify Member of National Assembly (MNA) Adil Bazai, a lawmaker from the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) party. The decision has been met with relief for the PML-N, which has been facing criticism from the government and ECP for its opposition stance.

The ECP had disqualified Adil Bazai under a reference filed by opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, who claimed that the MNA had violated the constitution by switching allegiances from PML-N to the Sunni Ittehad Council. However, Adil Bazai's lawyer argued that his party affiliation affidavit was fake and requested a forensic audit. The Supreme Court, in response, suspended the ECP's decision and issued notices to all parties involved, including the ECP, in order to further examine the matter.

The Supreme Court's actions are significant, as they have temporarily restored Adil Bazai to his position as MNA until December 12. This move has been seen as a setback for the ECP's efforts to rein in opposition parties and enforce party discipline. The ECP had also imposed a fine of over Rs 50,000 on Adil Bazai for allegedly violating the party's policy.

The Supreme Court's decision to suspend the ECP's decision has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Pakistan, and is likely to have significant implications for the country's political parties and their leaders. The court's move has also raised questions about the ECP's jurisdiction and powers, and how these are interpreted by the judiciary.