Appeals: 234 petitions were filed before the election tribunal till Wednesday, the last day of appeals. The tribunal will make a decision on these appeals before April 17.
On the last day of appeals, the election tribunal heard as many as 42 appeals against the rejection and acceptance of nomination papers of candidates hoping to contest the upcoming general elections.
The tribunal issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the relevant returning officers (ROs) on these appeals on Wednesday. Headed by Justice Faisal Arab, the two-member tribunal also directed the ECP and the relevant ROs to submit their comments on all the petitions.
Meanwhile, National Assembly speaker Fehmida Mirza challenged the nomination of Yasmin Shah, Syed Ali Bux Shah from NA-225 and PS-57, who are contesting the elections from her constituency, Badin.
Dual nationality
Former finance minister Syed Murad Ali Shah challenged the rejection of his nomination papers to contest the elections from PS-73 Jamshoro over his dual nationality. He said that he contested the 2008 elections despite having dual nationality. This time, the papers were dismissed on objections raised by a rival candidate, Roshan Ali Buriro, of the Sindh United Party.
Dismissed
A voter from NA-233 and PS-76 constituencies of district Dadu filed an appeal challenging the acceptance of former Sindh chief minister and federal minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi’s nomination papers to contest the elections. He accused Jatoi of accepting bribes during the 1990 general elections by a former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence and the then army chief.
Jatoi has not paid full taxes on agricultural land, therefore he should be disqualified to contest the election under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution and section 99 of the Representation of People’s Act 1976, Ahmed claimed, pleading the tribunal declare Jatoi disqualified. The tribunal dismissed, however, the appeal.
An appeal by a Pakistan Muslim League - Functional candidate, Zaheerul Haq Zor, who filed papers for PS-86 Thatta was also dismissed.
Transgender
The tribunal issued notices to the ECP and the ROs on an appeal of a transgender, Abdul Aziz alias Bindiya Rana, who challenged the rejection of her nomination papers from Karachi’s PS-114 because her proposer and seconder were absent on the day of the scrutiny.
Arguing that she fulfils the criterion laid down under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution for any candidate to contest election, Rana pleaded the tribunal declare the rejection of her nomination papers as illegal and allow her to contest the elections.
Allowed
The tribunal allowed the appeals of four candidates - including Syed Karam Darwesh, Nasrullah, Shahzad Arain and Ilyas Chishti - who complained that their nomination papers were rejected. Darwesh’s nomination papers for NA-241 Karachi were rejected, while Nasrullah - Pakistan Peoples Party candidate - challenged his rejection for PS-125 Karachi. Arain, a Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid candidate, also challenged the rejection of his papers for NA-234 Sanghar, while Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz’s Chishti challenged his rejection for PS-127 Karachi.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ