LAHORE: An appellate tribunal of the Lahore High Court on Saturday dismissed an appeal against acceptance of nomination papers of PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz from PP-80, Sargodha.

Ali Hassan Shah filed the appeal through Advocate Mushtaq Mohal pleading that Ms Nawaz filed a false affidavit along with her nomination papers. He also accused the PML-N leader of concealing details of her properties in the papers.

The lawyer argued that the respondent did not appear before the returning officer for the scrutiny of her nomination papers. He said the respondent did not meet the qualification to be a member of the assembly under article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The tribunal comprising Justice Asjad Javed Ghural dismissed the appeal and upheld the decision of the returning officer.

The tribunal allowed an appeal of PTI ticket aspirant Abdul Basit and accepted his nomination papers from NA-106 and PP-121 of Toba Tek Singh.

The RO had rejected his papers.

An appellate tribunal comprising Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh set aside the decision of the RO of PP-33, Gujrat and accepted nomination papers of PTI ticket aspirants Ali Liaqat, Umar Liaqat and Hanifan Bibi from the same constituency.

The RO had rejected their nomination papers on the ground of not disclosing complete assets and cases registered against them.

IMRAN KHAN: An appellate tribunal comprising Justice Tariq Nadeem on Saturday issued notice to the RO of NA-122, Lahore on an appeal of former prime minister Imran Khan against the rejection of his nomination papers.

Advocate Uzair Bhandari argued on behalf of the PTI founding chairman that the RO dismissed the nomination papers of the appellant unlawfully and against the facts.

He said the RO erred by relying on a decision by an Islamabad sessions court regarding the conviction of the appellant in Toshakhana case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The counsel argued that the ECP was not a court, therefore, conviction in the Toshakhana case does not amount to disqualification under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

He said the sentence of the appellant has already been suspended by the Islamabad High Court.

He further stated that the proposer and seconder of the appellant were the voters of the same constituency, but the RO did not consider documentary evidence presented before him in this regard.

The tribunal summoned the RO along with the record on Sunday (today).

AHSAN IQBAL: An appellate tribunal issued notice to the RO of NA-76, Narowal on an appeal challenging the acceptance of nomination papers of former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal.

The appellant alleged that the PML-N senior leader did not disclose the details of Toshakhana gifts he received while being the minister. He asked the tribunal to set aside the decision of the RO and reject the nomination papers of Iqbal.

The tribunal summoned the record from the RO on Jan 9.

A tribunal issued notices to the ROs of NA-129 and PP-171 of Lahore on appeals of former governor Mian Azhar and his son former federal minister Hammad Azhar against rejection of their nomination papers.

The tribunal summoned the record of the appellants’ nomination papers on Sunday (today).

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2024