Appellate tribunal clears Ghazain Marri, Majid Abro

Nomination papers of BAP President Kamal and JWP's Shahzain Bugti also approved

QUETTA: The appellate tribunal of the Balochistan High Court on Monday allowed independent candidate Nawabzada Ghazain Marri, former provincial minister Abdul Majid Abro and Dinesh Kumar to contest elections from their respective constituencies.

The two-member bench, comprising Justice Hashim Kakar and Justice Ejaz Swati, rejected the objection filed against PB-09 independent candidate Marri and allowed him to contest general election from his constituency Kohlu.



The district returning officer (DRO) in Kohlu had rejected Marri’s nomination papers after his proposer and seconder failed to appear before the RO last week.

On Monday, Marri flanked by his lawyer Advocate Adnan Ejaz appeared before the tribunal where the court allowed him to contest elections.

“On very flimsy grounds, my nomination papers had been rejected by the DRO as my proposer and seconder were abducted by unidentified persons. Later, we lodged an FIR in Kohlu,” Marri said while talking to the media outside the court.



On obstacles in contesting the general elections, he said, “Obviously we have been taking party in elections within the framework of the country’s Constitution, but I know we have to face more obstacles in the future.”

To a question regarding his political future, Marri said, “Definitely we will pursue the better interest of the people of Balochistan as it is premature to predict the political future at this moment.”

Further, the appellate tribunal also allowed former health minister Abro and Dinesh Kumar to contest elections after rejecting the objections on their nomination papers.



In another appeal, the bench expelled objections over the approved nomination papers of Balochistan Awami Party President Jam Kamal, who is contesting election from NA-272 and PB-50 Lasbela.

The tribunal also nullified election commission’s decision of rejecting the nomination papers of Jamhoori Watan Party’s Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti.

The bench passed Bugti’s nomination papers and allowed him to contest elections from Dera Bugti.