KARACHI, Dec 7: The candidature of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto for two National Assembly seats from Larkana, NA-204 and NA-207, was challenged before an election tribunal on Friday.

Appellants Babu Ghulam Sarwar Sial and Saifullah Abro allege in their appeals that Ms Bhutto has been convicted in three references under the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance and is, therefore, ineligible to contest the polls. The returning officer erred in accepting her nomination papers for the two NA seats despite the objections raised by them, they said.

The appeals are likely to come up before the tribunal comprising Justices Khwaja Naveed Ahmed and Khalid Ali Z. Qazi.

Appeals against the acceptance of former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim’s papers for Tharparkar, NA-229 and PS-60, have also been filed by his rivals. The appellants allege that Dr Rahim’s bachelor’s degree is fake.

The appeals against Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza and Dr Fahmida Mirza questioning acceptance of their nominations for NA-225 (Badin-II) came up before the tribunal on Friday. Advocate Anwar Mansoor Khan filed his power of attorney on behalf of the respondent candidates and sought time for preparing his brief. The appeals would be heard on Dec 11. Appellant Shujaat Ali Shah, represented by advocates Ali Ahmed Junejo, Sofia Saeed and Moin Azhar Siddiqui, alleges that the respondents are directors of the Mirza Sugar Mills, a defaulter concern.

Dr Fahmida Mirza, meanwhile, filed an appeal of her own against acceptance of nominations papers of Syed Ali Bakhsh Shah and Mrs Yasmin Shah from NA-225 and PS-57 (Badin). According to the appellant, the contestant couple has submitted fake degrees.

According to another appeal moved by Zulfiqar Baihan, papers of Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi for NA-211 (Naushero Feroze-II) have been wrongly accepted as he is a defaulter.

Notices for Dec 11 were issued by the tribunal in an appeal against rejection of Syed Rizwan Qadri’s papers for NA-253 (Karachi, East). He claims that he is a graduate studying for LL.B. (Part I) but his nomination was rejected because he has misplaced his BA degree and could not produce it before the returning officer. PS-76 (Dadu-III) candidate Imran Zafar Leghari’s appeal will also be heard on Dec 11.

Sardar Wahid Bux Bhayo has, meanwhile, challenged acceptance of papers of Agha Siraj Durrani and other candidates for NA-203 and PS-9 (Shikarpur). He submits through advocate Noor Naz Agha that the candidates have criminal cases pending against them and are also concealing their assets.

A Christian candidate for PS-114 (Karachi, South) Saleem Murad has challenged the nomination of Anthony Naveed for being a sitting member of union council I, Jamshed Town, Karachi.

Over 50 appeals are pending before the two election tribunals for disposal till Dec 14. The other tribunal consists of Justices Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui and Rana M. Shamim.