LAHORE: The candidature of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from NA-130 was challenged on Monday as appellate tribunals comprising judges of the Lahore High Court (LHC) started receiving appeals against decisions of the returning officers (ROs) regarding acceptance or rejection of the nomination papers for Feb 8 general elections.

Pakistan Awami Mahaz chief Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry, a lawyer by profession, filed an appeal under section 63 of the Election Act 2017 against the rejection of his nomination papers from NA-130, Lahore-XIV and acceptance of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s candidature from the same constituency.

The appellant contended that Mr Sharif could not contest an election due to the lifetime disqualification held by the Supreme Court for a person disqualified under article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution.

He said Mr Sharif was disqualified by the apex court for being not righteous and sagacious (sadiq and ameen) under article 62(1)(f).

The lawyer asked the tribunal to decide whether the Supreme Court judgement is not binding upon all the institutions, including the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He asked the tribunal to also decide whether the appellant could be restricted from contesting election in the absence of any adverse order passed by any court.

The appellant urged the tribunal to set aside the decision of the RO regarding rejection of his candidature and acceptance of the nomination papers of the respondent, Nawaz Sharif, from NA-130.

PTI ticket aspirant Barrister Shahid Masood filed an appeal before the appellate tribunal challenging the rejection of his nomination papers from NA-131, Kasur. The appellant alleged that the RO rejected his papers only for his affiliation with the PTI.

Mansoor Sabir Ansari of PTI and Zaigham Abbas of PML-Q also filed appeals against rejection of their nomination papers from PP-176, Kasur and PP-131, Gujrat, respectively.

Separately, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi of the LHC directed the returning officers of different national and provincial constituencies in Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin to issue attested copies of their decisions regarding rejection of nomination papers of PTI president Parvez Elahi, his wife Qaisera Elahi, son Moonis Elahi and others.

Mr Elahi and others filed petitions pleading that the ROs dismissed their nomination papers but had not issued attested copies of the impugned decisions allegedly to delay filing of the appeals before the appellant tribunals.

Justice Najafi ordered the ROs of NA-64, NA-69, PP-32, PP-34, and PP-42 to provide the petitioners attested copies of the decisions.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2024