February 16, 2006	Thursday	Muharram 17, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) leader Dr Israr Shah has criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan for rejecting his nomination papers for the forthcoming Senate polls from Punjab and termed it a part of the “ongoing political victimization campaign of the government.”

Speaking at a news conference here on Wednesday, he alleged that the returning officer had rejected his nomination papers for a technocrat seat despite the fact that none of his rivals had submitted any objection.

It may be mentioned that Mr Shah has been awarded the PPP ticket against Haroon Akhtar, the younger brother of Federal Minister for Commerce Humayun Akhtar Khan.

Mr Shah said he would soon file an appeal against his papers’ rejection in the court of law. He said his rival was a chartered accountant but had not rendered any service for the country. He alleged that Mr Akhtar had submitted forged documents to the ECP, which would be challenged.

His lawyer and secretary-general of People’s Lawyers Forum, Punjab, Hanif Tahir, said Mr Shah had got the veterinary degree in 1982 and since then he had been doing practice on a regular basis.

He said the ECP had rejected his clients’ papers on the ground that he had become a member of the Pakistan Veterinary Medical Association very late and was two-year short of the required 20- year experience.