KARACHI: Two election tribunals on Saturday set aside the decisions of returning officers (ROs) and allowed eight more candidates of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to contest the Feb 8 general elections on many National Assembly seats in Karachi.

The tribunals — each headed by Justice Arshad Hussain Khan and Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon of the Sindh High Court — allowed the appeals of PTI’s Karachi president Khurram Sher Zaman, Faheem Khan, Awab Alvi, Attaullah, Saif-ur-Rehman, Aslam Khan, Subhan Ali Sahil and Amjad Afridi.

Justice Khan in his order said that nomination papers of Mr Zaman were rejected by the RO from NA-241(Karachi South-III) on the grounds that he had failed to declare his assets and the tax return of his wife, while several FIRs were lodged against him.

The order states, “Apparently, the objector has raised disputed questions of fact which cannot be decided without leading evidence and the same cannot be done in the instant proceedings.

Notices issued on pleas against acceptance of Shehbaz Sharif’s nomination papers from NA-242

“As a prima facie case is demonstrated, the appellant ought not to be divested of his fundamental right to contest the forthcoming election and his nomination papers may be accepted subject to any challenge being subsequently brought to bear against him on ground of disqualification, non-disclosure or any other valid basis for objection in the event that he is successful in being elected,” it added.

In the appeal of former MNA Faheem Khan whose papers were rejected from NA-234 (Karachi Korangi-III), the same tribunal noted that candidature of the appellant was rejected by the RO over some contradiction in the affidavit and detail provided by Federal Board of Revenue.

The federal, provincial and ECP law officers concluded that the errors were technical and unsubstantial and thus, the tribunal said that the nomination papers of the appellant ought not to be rejected on such a basis.

In the cases of other PTI candidates, both the tribunals observed that there was no substantial error or contradiction in the candidatures of the appellants.

Former PTI MNAs Attaullah, Saif-ur-Rehman and Aslam Khan had filed elections appeals after the ROs had rejected their candidatures from NA-245 (Karachi West-II), NA-235 (Karachi East-I) and NA-248 (Karachi Central-II).

The candidatures of other members of the PTI including Awab Alvi (NA-241), Subhan Sahil (NA-243) and Amjad Iqbal Afridi (NA-242 and NA-243 Keamari I & II) were also declined by the ROs and they appealed against the same.

Notices issued

Meanwhile, the two election tribunals on Saturday issued notices to the ECP and other respondents on two appeals challenging the candidature of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif from NA-242.

The RO had accepted the nomination papers of the former prime minister on Dec 30, 2023 after dismissing the objections filed by the rival candidates.

Citing the ECP, district returning officer, RO and Mr Sharif as respondents, Hasnain Ali Chohan and Masood Khan Mandokhail filed separate election appeals.

The two tribunals put the respondents on notice for Jan 8 with direction to federal, provincial and ECP law officers to assist them on the next date of hearing.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2024