LAHORE: An appellate tribunal of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday issued a notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on an appeal of former finance minister Ishaq Dar against rejection of his nomination papers for upcoming Senate election.

The tribunal comprising Justice Aminuddin Khan also issued notices to the commission on two other petitions moved by Andleeb Abbas of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) challenging the acceptance of nomination papers of two PML-N candidates – Nuzhat Sadiq and Sadia Abbasi, the sister of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Advocate Salman Aslam Butt appeared on behalf of Mr Dar and argued that the returning officer rejected his papers without due diligence of the facts.

He said the returning officer failed to hold a proper scrutiny of the nomination papers required under the Representation of Peoples Act 1976.

He stated that legal formalities had not been fulfilled by the RO before passing the impugned decision. He asked the court to set aside the decision of the returning officer and declare the appellant eligible to contest the Senate election.

Ms Abbas had alleged that Nuzhat Sadiq and Sadia Abbasi had not declared their assets and liabilities in the nomination papers for which they were bound under the Representation of Peoples Act 1976. She said the respondent candidates also concealed details of their income tax and wealth tax.

She pleaded that the respondents by committing violation of established provisions of law exposed to disqualification and were not eligible to contest the election. She asked the appellant tribunal to set aside the decision of the RO and declare the respondents ineligible to contest the Senate polls.

The tribunal issued notices to the ECP and other respondents for today (Saturday).

The RO had on Feb 12 rejected the nomination papers of Ishaq Dar on objections filed by Opposition leader Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2018