RO rejects PTI leader’s nomination papers

The Abbottabad Returning Officer Wednesday rejected the nomination papers submitted by Mushtaq Ghani, former speaker of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, on the grounds of his absence from the country and the expiry of his transit bail.

According to sources, Ghani’s nomination papers were rejected by the RO as he failed to appear before him for the scrutiny of papers for the provincial assembly seat of PK-45.

The main charge levelled against the former speaker was his implication in the FIRs filed at various police stations and he is stated to be an absconder and reportedly hiding in the UK after the May 9 riots.

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According to details, Ghani’s nomination papers were filed by his elder brother Ilyas Ghani and he also secured his transit bail on December 19 from the Peshawar High Court till December 27 [yesterday] but he could not land in Peshawar to face the cases.

Ghani, through his counsel, pleaded that his passport had expired and he applied online for the renewal of his passport. “As soon as my passport gets renewed, I will appear in the court,” he was quoted as saying.

Family sources told The Express Tribune that Ghani had two passports, including an official passport, which will expire on January 2.

Meanwhile, the nomination papers of his wife, Farzana Mushtaq, were accepted for the PK-45 constituency. His wife was also elected as a member national assembly from PML-Q in the past.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2023.