BHC upholds PTI Balochistan chief's disqualification

QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Tuesday dismissed an election petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial president Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind through which he had challenged a returning officer’s verdict that declared him ineligible to contest the July 25 election.

A two-judge bench of the high court announced the decision after hearing arguments from the appellant’s lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa.

The PTI leader approached the BHC challenging his disqualification at the hands of the returning officer concerned who rejected his nomination papers for PB-17 Jhal Magsi constituency in Balochistan.

The RO rejected his papers citing an FIR with regard to discrepancies in his education certificates and concealment of the details of assets. Afterwards, he went to an appellate tribunal challenging the verdict.

On June 26, Justice Hashim Kakar, who headed the tribunal, also dismissed the appeal filed by the PTI leader against the decision of the returning officer.

It is pertinent to mention here that yesterday, a two-judge bench of the BHC comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Nazeer Ahmed Lango upheld the disqualification of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Balochistan chapter president Ali Madad Jattak.

The bench dismissed his petition against the verdict of the respective RO and the tribunal which rejected the PPP leader’s nomination papers for PB-31.