Appeals against acceptance of PML-N, PTI leaders' papers rejected

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court appellate tribunal on Tuesday rejected an appeal challenging the returning officer’s decision to accept nomination papers of PTI leader Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan for NA-72 Sialkot.

Justice Syed Shehbaz Rizvi, who headed the tribunal, rejected the appeal filed by Zaid Latif, a voter registered in the constituency the PTI leader is contesting from, who raised objections to the relevant RO’s decision to accept her nomination papers.

He alleged the PTI leader concealed details of her assets and therefore, pleaded with the tribunal to set aside the acceptance of her nomination papers and restrain her from contesting the elections.

Meanwhile, the tribunal also dismissed an appeal against the acceptance of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif’s nomination papers and cleared him to contest the polls.

After being declared eligible to contest elections by the Supreme Court, the former foreign minister is set to run in the July 25 polls.

He had filed his nomination papers for a National Assembly seat (NA-73) and provincial assembly seat (PP-37) in Sialkot.

On June 01, the Supreme Court of Pakistan annulled the verdict of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that disqualified the PML-N leader from the office for life.

The decision was announced by a three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Atta Bandial of the apex court.

Asif had filed a review petition in the SC against his disqualification in late April.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Usman Dar, who is contesting against Asif in 2018 general elections, filed a petition against Khawaja Asif, arguing  that Asif hid the fact of holding an Iqama, or a foreign work permit, in his nomination papers.