May 20, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

LAHORE, May 19: A returning officer (RO) dismissed on Monday objections against nomination papers of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif for contesting by-poll from PP-141.

Azhar Lodhi and Shahid Orakzai objected to Mr Sharif’s nomination papers on the ground that he had made derogatory remarks against the judiciary at a press conference at Sharif Medical Complex in April, 2007.

They said Mr Sharif stood disqualified because he had a hand in the Supreme Court storming case. According to Article 63 (G)(1), a person who commits contempt of court could not contest elections, they added.

The RO dismissed objections due to non-availability of evidence against the candidate.

PENSION RESTORED: The LHC on Monday directed the Health Department to resume pension to a petitioner after it was stopped a year after his retirement for possessing a fake degree.

Petitioner Fakhrul Hasan said he joined Allama Iqbal Hospital in Sialkot on Feb 19, 1984, as a laboratory assistant and retired on Jan 1, 2006. He said on March 27, 2007, almost a year after his retirement, the department stopped his pension, stating his matric certificate was bogus. The petitioner said the allegations were baseless and he was given a clearance certificate from the department when he retired.

The petitioner also showed his certificate to the court and said he had written an application to the Health Department director general against the decision. Justice Hafiz Tariq Naseem observed the department was deliberately victimising the petitioner.