The Sindh High Court rejected the petitions against the acceptance of nomination papers of PTI's Khurram Sher Zaman, Awab Alvi and Muzamil Aslam from constituency NA-241 and upheld their candidature.
A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Aqeel Ahmad Abbasi heard the petitions against the Election Tribunal's decision about PTI candidates.
The lawyer supporting the rejection plea said that Khurram Sher Zaman had not mentioned his wife's assets in the documents. The court inquired whether these assets belong to Khurram Sher Zaman or his wife.
The lawyer argued that it is the matter of concealment of assets. According to the election law, a candidate is also obliged to disclose the assets of his wife. Khurram Sher Zaman's wife Bushra Sher Zaman's sales tax account has been suspended. Account suspension is also due to the fraud.
The Chief Justice while giving remarks said that such objections are not made on this occasion. The court told the lawyer, you can file an application even after the election. "At this point we have to see that there is no misrepresentation in the basic details of the proposer, endorser or candidate. You are considering suspension of sales tax account as a criminal penalty."
Haider Waheed Advocate stated that the business of Khurram Sher Zaman's wife was closed in 2012. The lawyer objected to the position that Khurram Sher Zaman has not been notified yet. Lawyers cannot represent him. If more time is needed to collect the material, it can be provided.
About Muzamil Aslam the lawyer said that he did not disclose the vehicles among his assets.
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Muzamil's lawyer stated that whenever he brings the vehicle on the road, he will get it registered and pay the tax. There is no question of loss to the public exchequer.
The lawyer, on the objection against the approval of the papers of Awab Alvi, the third candidate from NA-241, the son of President Alvi, took the stand that Awab Alvi was allowed to participate in the election illegally.
The Chief Justice remarked that this application is also from the same constituency. The lawyer stated that petitions have been filed against all PTI candidates.
The lawyer submitted that the objection is raised by Muhammad Dost, a Pakistan dost citizen. He does not want corrupt elements to become parliamentarians.
The Chief Justice smilingly directed the lawyer of the objector to introduce us to that Pakistan dost man sometime. The court rejected the application of objections against the three PTI candidates and allowed them to participate in the election.
Meanwhile, the same bench of the Sindh High Court accepted the petition of PTI leader Alamgir Khan, a candidate from NA-236, against the decision of the Appellate Tribunal.
The court accepted the petition of Alamgir Khan and annulled the decision of the Election Tribunal and allowed the PTI leader Alamgir Khan to participate in the election from constituency NA-236. Alamgir Khan's nomination papers were rejected by the returning officer.
Besides, the Sindh High Court accepted the petition of PTI candidate Syed Amjad Hussain Shah against the decision of the Election Tribunal in constituency PS-75 Thatta.
The petitioner's counsel took the stand that Amjad Shah has sold the vehicle, the dues are less than 10,000 and he has been acquitted.
The court allowed the candidate to contest the election. Syed Amjad Shah's papers were rejected by the RO and then by the Appellate Tribunal.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 11th, 2024.
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