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The Sindh High Court has dismissed a petition seeking the disqualification of Pakistan Peoples Party leader and National Assembly member Shazia Marri over an alleged fake degree. The court announced its decision after the case remained pending for around 13 years. The petition was declared not maintainable and subsequently rejected. The court said the High Court does not have constitutional authority to disqualify a member of Parliament. According to the court, such matters must be dealt with through the relevant constitutional and electoral forums. The court also noted that a similar objection had previously been raised during the 2018 general elections. The matter was taken before an election tribunal at that time. The Election Commission later rejected the objection concerning Marri’s degree in 2022. An appeal against the tribunal’s decision was subsequently filed before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in 2023 after it was withdrawn. During the latest proceedings, Marri’s lawyer argued that the degree issue had already been examined by the Election Commission. He told the court that evidence relating to the qualification had been presented before the commission. The lawyer maintained that the Election Commission had already rejected the petition concerning Marri’s degree. The court also discussed the constitutional requirements for disqualification. It observed that a person cannot be disqualified simply through a constitutional petition. The court said the authority to determine whether a person meets the required constitutional standards rests with the appropriate judicial and electoral forums. It further stated that the courts cannot declare an individual truthful and trustworthy outside the constitutional procedure provided for such matters. The judges also referred to previous orders of the Supreme Court while determining the maintainability of the petition. Based on these considerations, the court concluded that the petition could not be entertained. The decision brings an end to a legal challenge that had remained pending for more than a decade. The case had focused on allegations concerning Marri’s educational qualification. However, the Election Commission had already rejected the related objection. The latest ruling also reinforces the distinction between the powers of the High Court and those of election tribunals and other constitutional forums in matters involving parliamentary eligibility. The court’s decision means that the petition seeking Marri’s disqualification has been dismissed without granting the requested relief.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has welcomed the joint defence agreement signed between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, calling it a decisive moment in the history of the Muslim world. In a statement, Maryam said the agreement sent a strong message to the world from the holy city of Makkah that the Muslim world was united. She said the coming together of three major economic, military and political powers was a positive development for the entire Muslim Ummah. Maryam described the agreement as the beginning of a new chapter for the Islamic world. She said the pact would strengthen collective security and defence cooperation among the three countries. She praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for standing alongside the Saudi and Turkish leadership, saying their efforts had raised the nation’s pride. “The agreement will not only strengthen the security of our borders but also raise the head of the Muslim Ummah with pride,” she said. Maryam added that the Makkah defence agreement had reinforced the message of unity among Muslim countries. The agreement was signed in Makkah by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the agreement stipulates that an attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all three. The pact aims to strengthen their joint defence capabilities against any aggression and expand defence cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.