KARACHI: An election tribunal on Monday overturned the decision of the returning officer who had rejected the nomination papers of Mohammad Najeeb Haroon of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for the April 2 Senate election.

Citing the Election Commission of Pakistan, provincial election commissioner Sindh/RO and others as respondents, the appellant submitted that he had filed nomination papers for a general seat of the Senate from Sindh, but the same were rejected by the RO.

After hearing both sides and examining the record, the tribunal headed by Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry of the Sindh High Court set aside the decision of the RO and allowed the appellant to contest the elections.

The RO had rejected the candidature of Mr Haroon due to alleged tax default and non-payment of a bank loan.

The elections for 12 Senate seats from Sindh — seven general, two each reserved for women and technocrats/ulema and one reserved for minorities —are going to be held on April 2 in the provincial assembly.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2024