Ishaq Dar says he is ready to take a virtual oath as member of Senate at earliest

ISLAMABAD/LONDON, Feb 10 (SABAH): Former finance minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday has written a letter to Senate Chairman Mir Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, stating that he is ready to take a virtual oath as member of the upper house of the Parliament of Pakistan at earliest.

Ishaq Dar, in his letter, mentioned that he was elected as Senator on a Technocrat seat of the Senate in the elections held on March 3, 2018. My election to the Senate was notified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on March 09, 2018 in terms of Section 124 of the Elections Act, 2017, he added.

The ex-minister told, “My nomination to the Senate was challenged. The challenge was dismissed by a learned Division Bench of the Lahore High Court vide its judgment dated March 02, 2018 in Writ Petition No. 168260 of 2018. This judgment was appealed before the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan through Civil Appeal No. 352 of 2018. The Honourable Supreme Court suspended the Notification of my election as Senator through its order dated May 08, 2018.”

“Consequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan suspended the notification on June 29, 2018 due to the suspension order and the suspension notification, I was prevented from taking my oath earlier. The said Civil Appeal has now been dismissed by the Honourable Supreme Court through its order dated December 21, 2021. The suspension order, thus, no more holds the field and my election to the Senate stands restored. Pursuant thereof, the Election Commission of Pakistan on January 10, 2022, has also withdrawn its Suspension notification, thereby restoring the notification dated March 09, 2018 through which I was declared returned candidate to the Senate,” he wrote.

“I am writing this letter to convey my readiness and willingness to take the requisite oath as member of the Senate of Pakistan, at the earliest. Due to my prolonged illness and ongoing medical treatment within the United Kingdom, I am unable to return to Pakistan immediately to take the requisite oath in person. It is therefore requested that arrangements may please be made to enable me to take the required oath, virtually, through any electronic mode as you may deem convenient,” Ishaq Dar stated.

The former finance minister further mentioned, “In case for any reason, the requisite oath cannot be administered virtually, the constitutional mechanism provided under Article 255 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 may please be adopted and the High Commissioner of Pakistan in London, United Kingdom, or any other person in the High Commission of Pakistan, London may be nominated to administer my oath in London.”

Along with the letter, Ishaq Dar also attached a copy of his latest medical report. The copy of the letter has been sent to chairman senate and election commission of Pakistan through email.