RAWALPINDI, Dec 13: An election tribunal here on Thursday rejected appeals against three candidates allowing them to contest the elections. Arshad Mehmood an independent candidate from NA-52 Rawalpindi-III was allowed to contest the election by the tribunal of Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha and Justice Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah.

He had moved the appellant tribunal against the decision of the returning officer who rejected his nomination papers on the grounds of fake graduation degree.

The tribunal verified his degree with Bahaudin Zakaria University through assistant advocate general and found it original.

Three election appeals against the nomination of Sardar Sajid a PML-Q candidate from PPP-1 challenging his graduation degree were also rejected by the tribunal and allowed the candidate to contest the polls.

Raja Shafqat Abbasi of PPP and his covering candidates Masood Abbasi and Sohail Abbasi independent candidates filed the appeals against him for having dubious degree.

The tribunal also rejected the objection of Engineer Raja Qamrul Islam of PML-Q candidate from PP-5 on the fake degree of Barrister Zafar Iqbal of PPP.

Raja Qamrul Islam presented before the tribunal in person and told the judges that Zafar Iqbal has done his MBA and Bar-at-Law in the absence of a valid graduation degree. After examining the educational documents of Zafar Iqbal the tribunal allowed him to contest the polls.

Chaudhry Tasneem Nasir an independent candidate from PP-25 Jehlum had questioned the validity of the degree of Chaudhry Qurban Hussain his rival candidate. Returning officer dismissed his objections so Tasneem Nasir again challenged the validity of his opponent’s degree in election tribunal.

In the absence of the counsel of Chaudhry Qurban Hussain the tribunal adjourned the hearing of this appeal till next day.

The tribunal also dismissed the appeal of Imran Aslam an independent candidate against his rival candidate Raza Ahmad Shah of MMA from PP-14 challenging his degree.

Sheikh Zameer the counsel for Raza Ahmad Shah told the court that his client had already withdrawn his nomination papers.