In a decisive move, the Supreme Court took action on Wednesday by dismissing a plea that sought to declare the February 8 general elections null and void. The petitioner, Ali Khan, failed to appear at two consecutive hearings, leading to the disposal of the case.

Ali Khan, in his application last week, had implored the apex court to order fresh elections within 30 days, emphasizing the need for direct judicial supervision to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability. Additionally, he sought a stay order to halt the formation of a new government until the case reached a verdict.

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the chief justice read aloud an email sent to the top court by the petitioner, wherein he had stated that he was abroad and had requested to withdraw his plea.

“Ali Khan has written that he could not appear before the court as he is abroad. His boarding pass, ticket and all travel documents on departing for Bahrain have been attached in the email,” the top judge noted.

“According to the documents, Ali went to Bahrain by taking a connecting flight via Doha,” Justice Isa added.

During the previous hearing, the court criticized the filing and subsequent withdrawal of the petition, deeming it an abuse of the judicial process. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa asserted the court’s commitment to preventing such manipulations.

In today’s proceedings, the three-member bench, led by CJP Isa and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali, reconvened to address the petition. However, once again, the petitioner was notably absent from the courtroom. Consequently, the Supreme Court not only disposed of the plea but also imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on Ali Khan, underscoring the gravity of his non-compliance with the legal proceedings.