Scrutiny of nomination papers
We must hope the ECP can sort out matters, ensure a level playing field.
The final list of candidates will, of course, emerge only after the appeal process is over.
The process of scrutinising nomination papers is over and a number of leading contenders have found themselves having to “retire” for now from the political crease, with their papers rejected. They could, of course, make a return and resume their innings if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) tribunal, hearing appeals against the rejections, rules in their favour.
For now, a number of key players have fallen. We do not yet know if they can return. On April 7, the last day of scrutiny, those who stumbled were former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and former leader of opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Mr Ashraf’s papers from Gujjar Khan were turned down on the basis of alleged wrongful acts committed during his tenure in office. Chaudhry Nisar Ali’s papers from his favoured seat, NA 53 (Rawalpindi), were turned down on the basis of an improper declaration of assets, as they were from PP-7, but his papers from NA 52 were accepted. Earlier on, former president Pervez Musharraf, had his papers rejected from Kasur and Karachi, but they were accepted for Chitral’s NA 32 seat.
PPP leader Imtiaz Safdar Warraich also had his papers rejected. So did former federal minister Faisal Saleh Hayat on grounds of water theft, while Ayaz Amir’s papers were rejected on the basis of ideological views expressed in his columns.
The final list of candidates will, of course, emerge only after the appeal process is over. But there are already calls of unfair play, with the mode of questioning adopted by returning officers adding to the general sense of disturbance. In this regard, we can only hope further controversies do not arise. We urgently need an election perceived as fair and free. The cries of alarm being raised in some quarters about inconsistencies in decisions made regarding the scrutiny and on the acceptance or rejection of papers are not encouraging. We must hope the ECP can sort out matters, ensure a level playing field and successfully organise the transparent poll we so badly need to move on with our democracy.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2013.
For now, a number of key players have fallen. We do not yet know if they can return. On April 7, the last day of scrutiny, those who stumbled were former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and former leader of opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Mr Ashraf’s papers from Gujjar Khan were turned down on the basis of alleged wrongful acts committed during his tenure in office. Chaudhry Nisar Ali’s papers from his favoured seat, NA 53 (Rawalpindi), were turned down on the basis of an improper declaration of assets, as they were from PP-7, but his papers from NA 52 were accepted. Earlier on, former president Pervez Musharraf, had his papers rejected from Kasur and Karachi, but they were accepted for Chitral’s NA 32 seat.
PPP leader Imtiaz Safdar Warraich also had his papers rejected. So did former federal minister Faisal Saleh Hayat on grounds of water theft, while Ayaz Amir’s papers were rejected on the basis of ideological views expressed in his columns.
The final list of candidates will, of course, emerge only after the appeal process is over. But there are already calls of unfair play, with the mode of questioning adopted by returning officers adding to the general sense of disturbance. In this regard, we can only hope further controversies do not arise. We urgently need an election perceived as fair and free. The cries of alarm being raised in some quarters about inconsistencies in decisions made regarding the scrutiny and on the acceptance or rejection of papers are not encouraging. We must hope the ECP can sort out matters, ensure a level playing field and successfully organise the transparent poll we so badly need to move on with our democracy.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2013.