LAHORE, Nov 28: The rival candidates of former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif from NA-119 and PP-141 said on Wednesday Mr Sharif was not eligible to contest the elections under the law because an anti-terrorism court had declared him a proclaimed offender in the Sabzazar shootout case, besides he was a defaulter.

Tariq Banday, Shehzad Raja and Haji Hanif, candidates from NA 119 and PP 141, raised these objections during the scrutiny of nomination papers.

Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Ashtar Abbas, acting as returning officer (RO), issued notice to Mr Sharif to file his reply till Nov 30.

Returning officers accepted the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Javed Hashmi for NA-123, Hamza Shahbaz PP-137 and PP-152 and Moonis Elahi for PP-152. The RO turned down Moonis Elahi’s objection that Hamza Shahbaz was not a graduate.

RO Syed Shujat Ali Tirmazi will hear objections to the nomination of PML-N’s Amjad Aziz Sheikh, candidate from Lahore, on Nov 30. His rival Aziz Ahmad says Mr Sheikh does not possess a bachelor’s degree.

The ROs also accepted the nomination papers of Azizur Rehman Chan, Akhlaq Ahmad Guddo, Hafiz Salman Butt, Aurangzeb Burki, Rubina Burki and Farid Piracha for PP-160 and Ashiq Diyal for PP-157.

The Punjab Election Commission accepted 11 and rejected 24 nomination papers for reserved seats of the National Assembly. Six nomination papers were accepted and eight turned down for reserved seats of the Provincial Assembly.

Muhammad Shoaib Khan Niazi withdrew his nomination papers from NA-121 and PP-149, saying that he had taken the step in protest against the removal of judges under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO).

He said it was not legitimate to contest polls under a state of emergency. “I will not contest the polls unless all judges deposed because of the PCO are restored, emergency is lifted and an independent Election Commission is appointed to oversee free, fair and transparent elections,” he said.