An appellate tribunal on Tuesday cleared former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PTI-Gulalai (PTI-G) leader Ayesha Gulalai's nomination papers from Islamabad's NA-53 seat for the upcoming general elections.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, presiding over the appellate tribunal, accepted the nomination papers of both Abbasi and Gulalai and set aside returning officer (RO) Mohammad Adnan Khan's decision to reject the papers earlier this month.

The RO had objected against minor defects in the nomination papers, but the tribunal today rejected those objections and observed that under Section 62 of the Elections Act 2017, such defects may be overlooked.

The tribunal is expected to issue a ruling on PTI Chairman Imran Khan's nomination papers from the same constituency today.

Khawaja Asif, Dr Firdous cleared from Sialkot constituencies

Former foreign minister Khawaja Asif and PTI's Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan were both cleared to contest polls from different Sialkot constituencies by an election tribunal on Tuesday, DawnNewsTV reported.

A petition against Asif's NA-73 candidacy had argued that the PML-N politician did not mention his assets on the nomination papers correctly. It was further alleged that the RO concerned ignored the evidence provided to him and accepted Asif's papers. However, the tribunal ruled in Asif's favour, ruling that his nomination papers were accepted on merit.

In a similar development, an appeal against Dr Awan's papers from NA-72 was also set aside.

The petitioner claimed that Dr Awan did not fill the box pertaining to marriage and children, and did not disclose the details of three of her properties.

The tribunal ruled in Dr Awan's favour, adding that the RO accepted her nomination papers in accordance with the law.