Tribunal rejects petitions challenging Kulsoom’s nomination for NA-120

LAHORE: The election appellate tribunal on Monday rejected the identical petitions of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) challenging the approval of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s nomination papers for the by-election in NA-120, ARY News reported.

The election tribunal comprising Justice Mamoon Rasheed Sheikh and Justice Rasheed Sheikh dismissed the petitions after hearing arguments.

PPP candidate Faisal Mir, PTI’s Dr Yasmeen Rashid, and PAT’s Ishtiaq Chaudhry challenged the returning officer’s decision of accepting Kulsoom’s nomination papers as the PML-N candidate for NA-120.

In their petitions, they submitted that an FIR had surfaced against Begum Kulsoom of late, which she failed to disclose in her nomination papers. Besides, she holds the working permit of UAE which is equivalent to holding dual nationality, they added.

The PML-N candidate also failed to disclose the details of her assets and besides, she declared herself as dependent on  her husband, they argued and added on the contrary, she owned shares in the off-shore companies of the family.

The petitioners, therefore, argued she was not eligible to contest the election and requested the tribunal to set aside the returning officer’s decision and declare her ineligible for contesting the election.

Faisal Mir and Ishtiaq Chaudhry had earlier raised nine objections on the nomination of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz  under the Representation of Peoples Act 1976, which were rejected by the returning officer.

The NA-120 seat, Lahore-III, fell vacant after the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified Nawaz Sharif as the premier of the country for concealing his salary from a Dubai-based company, and asked ECP to issue a notification removing him as a member of the National Assembly.