Rejected: Dual national barred from contesting polls

LAHORE:

A tribunal of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday barred a candidate from participating in the upcoming polls on grounds of dual nationality.

While hearing Asghar Ali’s appeal, the tribunal held that according to Article 63(c) of the constitution he was not eligible to contest elections because he is a dual national.

The appeal was filed against the rejection of his nomination papers by a returning officer from PP-115 Gujrat.

He submitted that he was a voter according to the electoral rules, adding that he had acquired UK nationality on November 28, 1973 but had been living in Kharian since 2007.

He also mentioned that he was a retired professional from a UK-based company, from which he was still receiving a pension, adding that he had studied in the UK in 1974.

The court, however, rejected his appeal to set aside the order of RO as illegal and disqualified him from participating in the elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2013.