RAWALPINDI, Jan 30: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate for NA-56 Hanif Abbasi on Wednesday invited Shaikh Rashid Ahmed to challenge his degree in any court of law.

Presenting original copy of his graduation degree at a press conference, Mr Abbasi said but the time for Shaikh Rashid to challenge his degree was now over and he was left with no option but to participate in the elections. “After the elections, he can go to any court of law to challenge my degree,” Mr Abbasi said.

The Returning Officer on Wednesday gave certified copies of nomination papers of PML-N candidate Raja Hanif Abbasi to Shaikh Rashid Ahmad, PML-Q candidate for NA-56. However, Mr Abbasi remains eligible to contest the elections.

Mr Abbasi said he defeated Rashid Shafiq, nephew of Shaikh Rashid in the by-elections on the ticket of Jamaat-i-Islami. “When I won the seat with a big margin from the Jamaat’s platform, Shaikh Rashid had not raised any objection. Abbasi’s contesting the general elections from the platform of PML(N) has proved a jolt for Shaikh Rashid Ahmad.

Hanif Abbasi levelled a number of charges against Shaikh Rashid Ahmad and said “his application for the certified copy of my nomination papers reflected designs of defeated elements.” Giving photocopy of his degree to journalists, Mr. Abbasi asked them to ‘gift’ it to Shaikh Rashid. He can check its genuineness with any authority,” Abbasi said.

The PML(N) candidate said his educational career was a continual process, while everybody knows how his rival candidate appeared in examinations.

There were 11 references against Shaikh Rashid Ahmad with NAB, and after surrendering he was able to save his ‘Lal Haveli’ and became the federal minister.

“After coming into power, we would reopen all those cases against him,” he announced.

Mr Abbasi alleged that Shaikh Rashid was still using his influence in Pakistan Railways, and the son of a councillor has been removed from the job on the pretext that his father has announced support for PML(N).

Mr Abbassi said the traders of Rawalpindi are with PML(N) and offered their full support right under the shadow of ‘Lal Haveli’, and announced they will vote for him and Javed Hashmi. On February 18, they pledged that they would not allow rigging as the public was with them, he said.

The PML(N) candidate said despite their protest, the Election Commission was converting the office of Union Council (No. 27) Nazim as polling station.