Court ruling clears way for Hafiz Saeed’s Milli Muslim League to field candidates in Pakistan elections

Pakistan head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) organization Hafiz Saeed waves to supporters as he leaves a court in Lahore. (AFP)

ISLAMABAD: A court in Pakistan has overruled the decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan to ban the Milli Muslim League (MML) from registering as a political party.
Islamabad High Court’s Justice Amir Farooq ordered the commission to review its decision, effectively clearing the way for the party to field candidates.
MML was launched by Jamaat-ud-Dawah founder Hafiz Saeed in August 2017, but its registration application was rejected in October. Pakistan’s Interior Ministry had asked the ECP to take into account that the US had placed a $10 million bounty on the head of Saeed.
MML appealed on the grounds that the country’s constitution allows anyone to engage freely in political activities.
The MML welcomed the March 8 high-court decision, saying: “Our supporters across the country are very happy. In the 2018 general elections MML will emerge as major political force.”