• Party reports dozens more incidents of nomination papers being snatched, supporters being ‘picked up or thrashed’ • LHC disposes of Niazi family’s plea regarding snatching incident in Mianwali after police deny allegations
• ECP ‘takes notice’ of candidates being deprived of nomination papers, orders action

LAHORE/CHAKWAL: Despite assurances from the poll watchdog and judiciary, the PTI continued to be targeted as nearly anyone and everyone from the party going to receive or submit nomination papers for the Feb 8 elections reported being stopped, arrested or harrassed, the embattled party complained on Friday.

In several cases, party hopefuls were not even allowed to reach the returning officers, belying the caretaker government’s claim about providing a level playing field to all.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court disposed of a petition against an alleged incident of nomination papers being snatched in Mianwali after police denied any such incident.

According to party’s lawyers, police have prepared a list of over 50 PTI leaders, who are already booked in May 9 riots cases registered across Punjab, effectively preventing them from entering the poll process.

PTI leaders told Dawn that their constitutional right was being trampled by the police.

On Friday, incarcerated Dr Yasmin Rashid’s husband Rashid Nabi Malik was arrested from the RO’s office, when he went to submit her nominations papers. Mr Malik was injured in a scuffle with police when he resisted to give them her papers to contest against PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan in an X post urged the ECP chief “to take note and order this madness to stop”.

Otherwise, he stated, “Should we assume that the elections that will be conducted in Pakistan will be the most controversial and rigged elections in the history of Pakistan”.

PTI leader Moonis Elahi tweeted that her mother went to the Gujrat RO to submit the nomination papers but police locked the office from inside.

Mr Elahi stated, “PTI candidates’ proposers and seconders are being arrested and tortured too”.

PTI central Punjab additional general secretary Sardar Azeemullah Khan told Dawn the government was targeting every potential person in the party, nominating them in FIRs, proceeding to block their CNICs and bank accounts or raiding their homes to harass and humiliate family members to ensure they should stay out of polls.

Mr Khan said his son tried to file papers for NA-124 “but a sub-inspector stopped him from doing so and astonishingly ARO Rana Ashraf happened to be the first cousin of PML-N candidate from the same constituency”.

In Lahore, nomination papers of Hafiz Farhat were snatched from his lawyers, while Hammad Azhar’s house was raided and police kept searching for nomination papers.

Jail officials did not allow Hassaan Niazi and Sanam Javed to sign their nomination papers.

In Hafizabad (NA-67 & PP-37), nomination papers were snatched from Imran Haider Bhatti and Chaudhry Shaukat Bhatti allegedly by the DSP concerned. Police raided party leaders’ Deras/outhouses and residences and picked up family members.

In Gujranwala, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali’s nomination papers for PP-62 were torn outside the RO office. Usama Hamza from Gojra (NA-105) was picked up, though he was released next day by a court.

Nomination forms of Zahid Iqbal (PP-234 Vehari) were snatched. PTI aspirant from Pasrur Haider Gill was detained at RO’s office, while police allegedly snatched papers of a candidate from Wazirabad, Ahmad Chattha.

In Sargodha (NA-84), the RO refused to accept the nomination papers of Shafqat Awan. In Gujranwala (NA-77), Tariq Mahmood’s nomination papers were not received by the RO.

In Bahawalpur, police raided the residence of Samiullah Chaudhry and ransacked the furniture.

In Talagang, the lawyer of PTI president Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was taken into custody from the premises of the RO office. Separately, Ehsan Mehmood and Babar Gujjar were picked up.

Police also raided the houses of five other PTI leaders but they were not present at their residences.

No PTI candidate could submit their nomination papers as ROs were not present at their offices.

Insaf Lawyers Forum’s Syed Najamul Hassan visited the RO’s office in Talagang to submit Mr Elahi’s nomination papers for NA-59 and PP-23, but he said he was not allowed to file the papers.

The District Bar Association condemned the move and announced a strike for Saturday (today).

When contacted, the DRO told Dawn that nomination papers of some candidates could not be received due to Friday prayer break.

“Papers of all candidates would be received as the last date has been extended for two days,” the DRO maintained.

Police deny charge

An LHC bench disposed of a petition against an alleged incident of snatching of nomination papers from a PTI aspirant in Mianwali after police denied the incident.

A law officer submitted a report on behalf of the Mianwali DPO saying no such incident had occurred. It said police did not receive any such complaint.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi directed the police to ensure no harassment is caused to the petitioner or any other person seeking to submit the nomination papers.

Barrister Lamia Niazi had filed the petition, saying her father Ziaullah Khan Niazi was returning from the district courts after collecting nomination papers on behalf of PTI’s Barrister Umair (NA-89 and NA-90) when DSP Qaiser Sheikh snatched the papers from him.

ECP takes notice

In a related development, the ECP has taken strong notice of the snatching of nomination forms from potential candidates and has sought necessary action against those responsible.

“It has been learnt through the media, and various complaints are also being received in this office regarding difficulties faced by potential candidates in receiving and submission of nomination papers. Snatching of nomination papers is also being reported

in media,“ read separate but identical letters sent to provincial chief secretaries, inspectors general of police and provincial election commissioners with the signatures of ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan.

It said the commission has taken serious notice of the matter and directed that necessary action under the law must be taken, with intimation to the commission. Similar letters have also been sent to chief commissioner and IG police, Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2023