Begum Kulsoom Nawaz's nomination papers approved for NA-120 by-poll

LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has approved nomination papers of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz to contest the by-election NA-120 and rejected all the objections made on her nomination, ARY News reported.

The relevant Returning Officer said two petitioners made nine objections against Kulsoom Nawaz and all of them were rejected after thoroughly listening to arguments.

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Asif Kirmani, while talking to media outside the ECP office, said two people made nine objections against Kulsoom Nawaz’s nomination and they were given maximum time as they presented “baseless arguments” for one and a half hour.

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He compared these objections to Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan’s allegations on Nawaz and said Imran had also no evidence against the former PM as he was only presenting news printed in press.

The by-poll on NA-120 seat would be held on September 17. It was left vacant after Nawaz Sharif was declared unqualified by the apex court in Panama Leaks case on July 28.

Who challenged Kulsoom’s nomination?

Top rival contender of Kulsoom in the NA-120 by-election, Pakisan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid had challenged the nomination of PML-N’s candidate.

Dr Yasmin had objected that details of assets of Kulsoom’s spouse mentioned in the nomination papers did not match to what the Joint Investigation Team of the Panama Leaks case had discovered.

“Nawaz’s documents of assets and Iqama attached with the nomination papers have been declared forged by the Supreme Court,” she said.

The petitioner said the nomination papers did not include details of income from Capital-FZE company, tax returns, furniture in Marri residency and other valuables.

She objected that on Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s directive development work in the constituency were still in progress which was tantamount to pre-poll rigging.

She had urged the RO for rejection of Kulsoom’s nomination papers.

The candidates of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) had also filed objections against PML-N’s candidate Ms Kulsoom over concealing her salary after disclosing her foreign work-permit in the nomination papers besides diatribe against military and treason charges.

Meanwhile, the PML-N candidate has left for London and is expected to return after the election.

Kulsoom Nawaz will undergo a medical checkup in London and will return to Lahore on September 23 after the by-poll in NA-120, sources said.

Dr Yasmin said circumstances were not suitable for Kulsoom, hence she felt it better to leave the country.