RAWALPINDI, May 20: Two appeals have been filed against the acceptance of the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif for the June 26 by-elections.

An election tribunal comprising Justice Najmuz Zaman and Justice Tariq Sahmeem of Lahore High Court will hear the petitions.

PML-Q candidate for the NA-52 Rawalpindi seat, Mohammad Nasir Raja, on Tuesday filed objections to the acceptance of Nawaz Sharif’s papers by Returning Officer Rana Masood Akhtar after setting aside objections of some candidates on May 15.

Malik Mahboob Illahi, a candidate of the PML-Q for the PP-10 Rawalpindi seat, filed an appeal against acceptance of Shahbaz Sharif’s papers by RO Mujahid Mustaqeem.

Mr Raja argued that the former prime minister had been sentenced to life term by an anti-terrorism court in the plane hijacking case and no appeal had been filed against the verdict.

He said that according to Article 63(1)h of the Constitution, Section 99(1-A)h of Representation of People Act and Section 8D(2)h of Conduct of General Election Order 2002, a convicted person stood disqualified.

Mr Raja alleged that Nawaz Sharif had filed an incorrect declaration on oath before the RO stating that “he does not suffer from any such disqualification”.

He said Nawaz Sharif should also be disqualified because he had acted in a manner prejudicial to the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

Malik Mahboob in his appeal cited a statement of Shahbaz Sharif after the rejection of his nomination papers in February and termed it contempt of court and an attempt prejudicial to the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

He quoted the PML-N president as having said: “Gen Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi were directly involved in the rejection of my nomination papers.

One Bhatti Sahib, a Session Judge of Lahore called my RO and asked him to reject the nomination papers. In return, he was appointed a high court judge under the PCO. They pressurised the RO to reject my nomination papers and he rejected them acting against his conscience.”

The appellant also contended that the declaration submitted by Shahbaz Sharif was incorrect.