PESHAWAR: Setting aside the rejection of his nomination papers for PK-104 Mohmand constituency by the returning officer, an election appellate tribunal restored the candidature of Azizullah Safi for the July 2 provincial assembly election.

The tribunal head, Justice Musarrat Hilali of the Peshawar High Court, accepted an election appeal of the independent candidate, who claimed that the returning officer had rejected his nomination papers before the last date fixed for scrutiny of papers passed.

The returning officer had rejected nomination papers of the petitioner Azizullah Safi on May 17 on the ground that the candidate did not turn up during scrutiny of nomination papers and had also not opened a bank account for the purpose of incurring election expenses.

Habibullah Mohmand, lawyer for the appellant, said the nomination papers of his client were complete and did not lack any deficiency on the basis of which the papers could be rejected.

Appellate tribunal restores candidature for PA election

He contended that under the election schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan and the public notice issued by the returning officer last date for scrutiny of nomination papers was May 18.

He, however, said before the expiry of the last date, the returning officer rejected the nomination papers on May 17.

The counsel argued that when the appellant turned up on May 18 for scrutiny of the papers, he found out that the office of returning officer was closed and that his papers were rejected.

He added that his client had also opened a bank account for election expenses as per provision of the Elections Act 2017.

The lawyer requested the tribunal to accept the appeal and set aside the order of the returning officer.

REMANDED: An accountability court has sent two suspects in a fraud case to jail on 14 days judicial remand.

Qasim Khan and Fazal Subhan were arrested early this month by the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for cheating public at large.

They were produced before the court on the completion of their physical custody with the NAB.

The NAB had arrested the suspects on May 9 claiming that they had cheated the people in the name of investment in an illegal housing schemes and a commercial plaza.

The NAB claimed that the suspects in connivance with another suspect Chinar Gul alias Hamza lured the people into investing Rs287.044 million in the businesses of Sheikh Yaseen Town Mardan, Sheikh Yaseen Executive Block Mardan, Prime Villas Mardan, and Bajaur Tower, Ganj Mandi Rawalpindi on the profit and loss sharing basis.

It added that for a few months, the suspects paid profits to gain the people’s confidence but the payment of profits was later stopped and even the investors were denied the principal amount.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2019