KARACHI: Prominent politician Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat and Abid Hussain Imam, son of politicians Syeda Abida Hussain and Fakhar Imam, on Thursday joined the list of electoral candidates whose nomination papers are rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The nomination papers of both candidates were rejected over allegations of electricity and irrigation water theft.

Hayat, who happens to be Syeda Abida's cousin as well as political rival, currently belongs to Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q). He filed his nomination papers to contest elections from his hometown constituency NA-88 in Jhang, Punjab.

Having won previous polls from the same constituency in 1988, 1990, 1993, 2002 and 2008, the PML-Q leader was considered a strong candidate to win the May 11 polls also.

Imam, who was contesting the elections for the first time, was also disqualified for the said reason.

According to Express Tribune, a water theft case had been registered against the two among several other renowned politicians in October last year.

Faisal Saleh Hayat, after hearing the unexpected news by the returning officer in Jhang, has alleged Imam for being behind the disqualification. The latter denies the allegation.

Other than rejecting nomination papers of several candidates during scrutiny on Wednesday, the commission had also declined to submit electoral papers of renowned columnist and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Amir ‘for writing against the ideology of Pakistan’ earlier in the day.