Dozens of PTI aspirants appeal against papers rejection
Supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan hold a giant cricket bat with the colours and initials of the party in Multan on July 20, 2018. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Dozens of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates moved the election tribunals against the rejection of their nomination papers by the relevant returning officers during scrutiny as the election process advanced to the appellate stage on Monday.
Simultaneously, a Lahore-based lawyer has raised objections to the acceptance of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif's nomination papers, invoking Section 63 of the Elections Act.
This marks a significant phase in the electoral process as appellate tribunals, comprising high court judges, have commenced the acceptance of appeals against the approval or dismissal of nomination papers for both national and provincial assembly seats.
Confirming this turn of events, a spokesperson for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) acknowledged that several PTI candidates have indeed submitted appeals to the tribunals.
The recent scrutiny process saw over 3,000 nomination papers rejected out of a total of 25,951 examined nationwide, with a majority of the rejections attributed to PTI candidates. According to ECP data, 22,711 nomination papers were approved, while 1,024 for National Assembly seats and 2,216 for provincial assemblies faced rejection.
In Karachi, a tribunal situated at the Sindh High Court issued notices pertaining to an appeal against the rejection of the nomination papers of PTI leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi.
Tribunal judge, Justice Arshad Hussain refused to hear the appeal, which was later taken up by Justice Khadim Hussain Tunio. Naqvi had challenged the decision of the RO for NA-236. The tribunal sought replies from the respondents.
Justice Tunio also took up the appeal against the rejection of the nomination papers of an independent candidate, Mazhar Junejo, from PS-86. The tribunal issued notices to the ECP, the RO concerned for January 4.
Key figures within the PTI, including Dr. Masroor Sial, Khurram Sher Zaman, Aftab Jahangir, Attaullah, Saeed Afridi, and Haleem Adil Shaikh, have filed appeals against the rejection of their nomination papers in various constituencies across Karachi.
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In Lahore, Ishtiaq Chaudhry, the chief of Pakistan Awami Mahaz (PAM), has lodged an appeal challenging the acceptance of Nawaz Sharif's nomination papers. Chaudhry argues that Nawaz Sharif, having been disqualified for life by the Supreme Court, is ineligible to contest the elections.
On December 26, the Returning Officer (RO) for NA-130 Lahore accepted Nawaz Sharif's nomination papers following a thorough scrutiny process. However, Ishtiaq Chaudhry contests this decision, alleging that the RO approved Nawaz's nomination papers against factual evidence. As a result, Chaudhry has petitioned for Nawaz Sharif to be declared ineligible, urging the rejection of his nomination papers.
The legal proceedings against high-profile figures underscore the intensity of the electoral process and the strict adherence to legal norms.
Additionally, in Punjab, former minister and PTI ally Sheikh Rashid expressed his intent to challenge the returning officer's decision to reject his nomination papers. Sheikh Rashid vehemently refuted allegations of being a defaulter, emphasizing that he had no outstanding financial obligations.
Meanwhile, in the federal capital Islamabad, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir at the Islamabad High Court has scheduled an appeal against the rejection of PTI’s Shoaib Shaheen’s nomination papers for a hearing on the following day. Shaheen's appeal contends that despite submitting nomination papers for all three National Assembly constituencies in Islamabad, the returning officer rejected his papers for all three, warranting a review by the appellate tribunal.
In the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), a cadre of PTI candidates from various districts, including Mujahid Khan, Zahir Toru, Aftab Alam, Yousuf Khan, Abu Tarab, Abdul Salam Afridi, Iftikhar Mashwani, and Ameer Farzand, have mounted challenges against the rejection of their nomination papers. This widespread legal contestation underscores the stakes involved in ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process.
Similarly, senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his son Zain Qureshi challenged the decision of the RO for NA-214 Tharparkar, rejecting their nomination papers. Also, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate for NA-241 Mirza Akhtar Baig also filed appeal against the rejection of his papers.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)