QUETTA, Sept 6: Twenty-three appeals were filed with the Balochistan election tribunal on Friday against the acceptance of the nomination papers of various leaders.

The candidates whose nomination papers were challenged include two former chief ministers, Mir Taj Mohammad Khan Jamali and Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali, president of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam), Balochistan, Jam Mohammad Yousaf, Balochistan National Democratic Party President Sardar Sanaullah Zahri, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Balochistan President Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani, former ministers Mir Mohabbat Khan Marri, Syed Ehsan Shah and Mir Tariq Mehmood Khetran, Dr Kalimullah of Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party and Dr Abdul Malik Baloch of Balochistan National Movement.

Appeals were also filed against the acceptance of nomination papers of Maulana Abdul Bari of JUI, Maulana Ataullah of JUI, Tariq Hussain Bugti, Changaz Kurd, Sardar Fateh Mohammad Umrani, Bagum Nasreen Rehman Khatran and Dr Ruqya Hashmi of PML(QA).

Meanwhile, 16 candidates filed appeals with the tribunal, comprising Justice Amanullah Yasinzai and Justice Fazalur Rehman.

They include, People’s Party Parliamentarians Senior Vice-President Mir Baz Khan Khetran, Mir Shahjahan Khetran of PML(QA), Nasarullah Khan Kakar, Robina Irfan of PML(QA), Maqbool Ahmed Lahri, Nagina Younas and Abdul Shakoor.

The officials of the Small and Medium Enterprise Bank also filed appeals against the acceptance of the nomination papers of Shazia Khetran and Abdul Qadoos, pleading that they were defaulters of the bank.

The tribunal issued notices to the people concerned on 10 appeals and adjourned the hearing till Saturday.

In the province, 85 appeals have been filed so far.