Rejection of Imran’s candidature for 2 National Assembly seats upheld
PTI founder Imran Khan’s appeals against the rejection of his nomination papers for two National Assembly seats, NA-122 (Lahore) and NA-89 (Mianwali), were dismissed on Wednesday.
Two separate appellate tribunals upheld the returning officers’ (RO) decision to reject the ex-premier’s nomination papers. The development came on the last day to dispose of appeals filed against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers for the February 8 general elections.
According to the election schedule, the preliminary list of candidates will be displayed tomorrow and candidates can withdraw their nomination papers till Friday, Radio Pakistan reports.
On December 30, Imran’s nomination papers for both the NA seats were rejected. The verdict issued by the RO for NA-122 stated that the papers were rejected on “moral” and other grounds.
Last week, Imran had challenged the rejection. The appeal against the rejection of candidature for NA-122 contended that the RO had dismissed the nomination papers unlawfully and against the facts. Filed through Advocate Uzair Bhandari, the appeal contended that the RO had dismissed the nomination papers of the appellant unlawfully and against the facts.
The appeal pertaining to NA-89 said that the RO had rejected nomination papers of the appellant after objectors Khuram Hameed Khan and Khalilur Rehman Khan pointed out his conviction in the Toshakhana gifts case and an outstanding amount of Rs3.68 million he had to pay to the Social Security Department him for being chairman of Namal University. It said the department had never issued a notice to the university in this regard.
On January 7, an appellate tribunal of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Pindi bench reserved its verdict on Imran’s appeal against the rejection of his candidature from NA-89 after hearing arguments from the PTI founder’s lawyer and the Election Commission of Pakistan. Today, Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz announced the reserved verdict, upholding the RO’s decision.
Separately, an appellate tribunal of the LHC rejected Imran’s appeal pertaining to NA-122 as Justice Tariq Nadeem upheld the RO’s decision to reject Imran’s nomination papers.
Meanwhile, PTI leader Yasmin Rashid was cleared to contest the February 8 general elections from NA-130 as Judge Nadeem dismissed the RO’s decision to reject her nomination papers.