RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) lawyers on Saturday managed to convince the returning officer that the objections raised by a citizen against the party chief were baseless.

The RO then accepted the nomination of Imran Khan for NA-56.

When Additional District and Sessions Judge Naeem Arshad started the scrutiny process, complainant Hafeez Abbasi’s counsel Raja Shujaur Rehman alleged that Imran Khan was a gambler, liar and adulterer, which were a clear violation of Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution.

However, Imran Khan’s counsel Malik Ehtisham said the allegations were baseless and based on rumours which had turned out to be wrong in the past too.

He said there was no confessional statement made by the PTI chief in his book Me and My Pakistan. He asked the petitioner’s counsel to produce evidence to substantiate his allegations, which he failed to produce.

Upon this, the returning officer accepted the nomination of Imran Khan.

The RO also took up the nominations of PML-N’s former MNA Hanif Abbasi. Mr Abbasi appeared before the RO and answered his questions.

The RO will decide the nomination papers of an independent candidate, Naveed Kiani, on Sunday as he has stated in the papers that his business firm was affiliated with USAID.

The RO asked him to produce credentials that in what capacity he was affiliated with the US-based relief organisation.

Similarly, the decision on the nominations of Raja Kamran Hussain was held for Sunday as he showed his property worth Rs100 million.

However, he has paid no tax, saying his property was located in a no-tax zone. The RO asked him to produce the proof. Objections have also been raised on the papers of Malik Ibrar of the PML-N.

Ibrar in his nomination papers showed his annual income up to Rs1.6 million and expenses at Rs2.5 million.

On Saturday, four nomination papers were accepted for NA-56. Total 11 out of the 43 nominations for NA-55 have been accepted, one rejected and four will be scrutinised on Sunday (today).

As many as 16 nomination papers were accepted for NA-50, eight for PP-2, three for PP-13, four for PP-14, 19 for PP-19 and 11 for PP-11.