MANSEHRA: An election tribunal here on Thursday upheld the returning officer’s disqualification order of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate Kamal Saleem Swati.

“I had challenged my client Kamal Saleem Swati’s disqualification in the PHC’s regional election tribunal which dismissed my plea and retained the returning officer’s order,” Waqar Khan advocate told reporters here.

Returning officer NA-14 Mansehra-I Babar Khan Tanoli disqualified the PTI leader from contesting the Feb 8 elections as he hadn’t attained the age of 25 years on the day of scrutiny.

“My client’s age on the day of scrutiny was only a day less than the required 25 years to contest the elections but the returning office didn’t allow him to run for the elections and rejected his nomination papers,” Mr Khan said.

He said he had challenged RO’s order in the PHC’s regional tribunal in Hazara, which upheld his decree and dismissed the petition.

“We have decided to move Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking relief for Mr Swati and I am optimistic that our plea will be accepted and he will be able to contest the Feb 8 general elections,” Mr Khan said.

Meanwhile, Kamal Saleem Swati, who is the nephew of PTI divisional president Babar Saleem Swati, was also disallowed to contest the elections in PK-37 by the returning officer concerned on the same ground.

His lawyers also challenged the RO decree at PHC’s election tribunal and the latter was expected to deliver a ruling on Friday (today).

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2024