PTI chief Imran Khan allowed to contest polls from NA-53, NA-35
June 27, 2018
ISLAMABAD: Rejecting all objections against Imran Khan's candidacy from NA-53, the election appellate tribunal allowed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief to contest polls from Islamabad on Wednesday.
Returning Officer (RO), Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Adnan Khan, had rejected Imran's nomination papers last week, along with those of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidates Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Sardar Mehtab Abbasi and PTI's disgruntled leader Ayesha Gulalai for failing to fill clause-N of the affidavit in which they were required to mention the “contribution” to their respective constituencies during their previous tenure as lawmakers.
Since then, the nomination papers of Shahid Khaqan, Mehtab and Gulalai had been accepted by the tribunal.
Earlier today, Imran had appeared before the Islamabad election tribunal to fill clause-N of the affidavit submitted with his nomination papers for the constituency. In clause-N, the PTI chief stated that he set up the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital, established Namal College, and made the nation aware to struggle for its constitutional rights.
Moreover, the PTI chief's candidacy from NA-35, Bannu, was also approved today after his nomination papers were challenged in the Peshawar appellate tribunal.
Imran or a counsel had been summoned in Peshawar today after the PTI chief or his lawyer failed to appear yesterday for the hearing of an appeal against the approval of his nomination papers.
Similarly, the objections against the PTI chief's nomination papers from NA-243, Karachi, were dismissed today. For the same constituency, the tribunal also accepted the nomination papers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan's Khawaja Izharul Hasan.
Tribunal rejects Abbasi, Fawad's nomination papers
PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry’s nomination papers were rejected today from his home constituency of NA-67, Jhelum.
The election tribunal was hearing an appeal against the acceptance of Chaudhry’s nomination papers by the returning officer, filed by Justice and Democratic Party’s Fakhar Abbas Kazmi.
Similarly, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's nomination papers were rejected from NA-57, Murree, by the Rawalpindi Appellate Tribunal today.
In Lahore, Justice Shahbaz Rizvi dismissed the candidacy of Tehreek-e-Labbaik's Ashraf Jalali from Gujranwala's NA-81. PML-N's covering candidate, Atif Fareed Sabir, had challenged Jalali's nomination papers for not declaring his foreign trips and tax returns.
In Chakwal, PTI candidate for NA-64, Ghulam Abbas, was restrained from contesting polls for failing to disclose his assets.
In Shangla, former PTI MPA Shaukat Yousafzai's nomination papers were approved after objections were raised over his omission of tax details in his papers.
Moreover, from Sukkur's PS-20 constituency, former provincial sports minister Mohammad Bux Mahar's nomination papers were dismissed.
Candidates whose nomination papers have been rejected can appeal the tribunals' decisions in the high courts.
Last day of tribunals' decisions
Election tribunals set up across the country are set to conclude today the appeals against the verdicts of returning officers (RO) regarding candidates intending to contest the July 25 general election.
On June 19, the ECP constituted 20 tribunals to hear appeals against rejection of nomination papers by candidates for the election, after the scrutiny of nomination papers was completed.
High court judges were part of the six tribunals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eight in Punjab, four in Sindh, and two in Balochistan.
As per the election schedule, the revised list of candidates will be published on June 28 whereas the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be June 29.
On June 30, allocation of electoral symbols will be completed and the final list of contesting candidates will be published.
