May 30, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

LAHORE, May 29: An election tribunal of the Lahore High Court on Thursday issued fresh notice to PML-N patron Nawaz Sharif for Friday (today) in an appeal on which another tribunal had already given a split decision.

Justice Mohammad Akram Qureshi and Justice Hafiz Tariq Nasim are now entertaining the appeal against the acceptance of Mr Sharif’s nomination papers by the returning officer of NA-52, Rawalpindi. Muhammad Nasir Raja, a PML-Q candidate for the same constituency, filed the appeal which was sent back to the Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday.

The senior member of the tribunal, Justice Mian Najamuz Zaman, had turned down the appeal while the other member, Justice Tariq Shamim, had accepted it. Justice Zaman had ruled the appeal became invalid because Mr Sharif withdrew his nomination papers from NA-52. While Justice Shamim observed withdrawal of the nomination papers placed no obligation on the tribunal to judge (dis)qualification of a candidate while accepting it.

The appellant's counsel says Mr Sharif could not contest the election because Anti-Terrorism Court-1, Karachi, had sentenced him to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs500,000. He added this conviction as well as the sentence was upheld by the learned appellate court in special criminal appeal.

Besides, he said, Mr Sharif was convicted by an accountability court, Attock Fort. He added the accountability court had also declared Mr Sharif disqualified for 21 years from seeking or being elected, chosen, appointed as member or representative of any public office or any authority of the Local Government of Pakistan.

The appellant said in both the cases, the conviction was intact because these sentences were not set aside.

OBSERVERS: Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency says it will send a panel of observers during the hearing of petition against Nawaz Sharif.

The panel will consist of former Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khalilur Rehman Khan, Justice Nasira Iqbal (retired), former Punjab governor Shahid Hamid, former Sindh governor Moinuddin Haider and former caretaker minister and ex-senator Shafqat Mahmood.