LAHORE: Acceptance of nomination papers of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from NA-120 has been challenged before an election tribunal of the Lahore High Court.

Two appeals were filed on Tuesday against the decision of the returning officer concerned with a prayer to set aside the same and bar Mr Sharif from contesting the upcoming general election.

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey and Afshan Ameeruddin, sister of late Arif Ameer alias Tipu Truckanwala, filed these appeals.

Barrister Jaffrey pleaded that the former PM had concealed his assets at the time of filing nomination papers. He further alleged that Mr Sharif was involved in money laundering of billions of US dollars.

The lawyer said the returning officer dismissed the objections without any hearing and without any notice.

He urged the election tribunal to summon Nawaz Sharif and make him undergo lie detection test.

The second appellant Ms Ameeruddin, also a candidate from PP-140, stated that the Supreme Court in the Asghar Khan case had ruled that legal proceedings should be initiated against politicians who allegedly received donations to spend on election campaign in 1990. She said the apex court’s judgment was binding upon all judicial and executive authorities, including ECP.

The appellant further accused the PML-N chief of illegally occupying her ancestral property in Shahalam area.

She requested the election tribunal to set aside the RO’s decision and stop Nawaz from contesting the polls. The tribunal will take up these appeals on Wednesday (today).

At least 320 appeals have been instituted in high court against rejection or acceptance of nomination papers by the returning officers.

According to statistics released by the court, 155 appeals have been filed at principal seat (Lahore), 34 at its Rawalpindi bench, 56 at Multan bench and 75 at Bahawalpur bench.