LHC judge recuses himself from cases on Pak PM Imran's disqualification

A second petition seeking disqualification of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for not being "honest and righteous" during last year's general elections was adjourned indefinitely on Monday after a judge recused himself citing "personal reasons", a media report said.

A second case against Khan, 66, was filed by two petitioners in the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking his disqualification as prime minister for not being "honest and righteous" and concealing the alleged parentage of a daughter with a former partner in his nomination papers for the 2018 election.

Earlier on January 21, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had quashed a similar petition, terming it "non-maintainable" as it involved personal matters.

A two-member LHC bench comprising Justice Shahid Wahid and Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, who headed the bench, heard the petitions.

Justice Waheed recused himself from the cases due to "personal reasons", the Dawn newspaper reported.

A request was sent to the high court's chief justice to nominate another judge for the bench, it said.

The two petitioners claimed that Khan concealed his alleged parentage of Tyrian Jade Khan White in his nomination papers filed for the 2018 general elections.

During the hearing, the state prosecutor argued that both the petitioners did not belong to the constituency from where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief had contested the election.

He said that only a voter of the constituency could challenge the eligibility of prime minister Khan.

The court, however, raised questions over the state lawyer's argument and said that the petition could be filed at any stage.

"Imran Khan did not mention White as one of his dependents in his nomination papers, and thus he does not measure up to Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution," the petitions read.

Articles 62 and 63, set the precondition for a member of parliament to be "sadiq and ameen" (honest and righteous).

Tyrian White is the daughter of Ana-Luisa (Sita) White, the daughter of the late Lord Gordon White. It has often been alleged that Tyrian is Khan's daughter.

The petition in the IHC had sought to argue that Khan should be disqualified as the prime minister for 'concealing' his alleged parentage of Tyrian in his nomination election papers.

However, the judges refused to dwell on the arguments and admonished the petitioner for not understanding the law or respecting Islamic teachings about respecting others' privacy.