QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Tuesday upheld an election appellate tribunal’s decision disqualifying Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Provincial President Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind from contesting the general polls from NA-260 and PB-17. While Supreme Court disqualified and barred PPP’s Yasmeen Shah from contesting upcoming general elections.
Rind’s nomination papers had been rejected by a Returning Officer (RO) while a subsequent application was also dismissed by the appellate tribunal. He has been allowed to contest from PB-7. A spokesperson for Rind said he would plan to challenge the BHC decision in Supreme Court.
An appellate tribunal and returning officer had rejected Rind’s nomination papers for submitting a fake degree and being nominated in several First Information Reports (FIRs) in murder and kidnapping cases.
Announcing the verdict a divisional bench of the BHC comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afgan and Justice Nazeer Langove upheld the RO and tribunal’s decisions that had rendered him disqualified.
Advocate Sardar Latif Khosa and others had argued on behalf of Sardar Rind. The same divisional bench also disqualified former provincial minister Mir Faiq Ali Jamali from participating in the poll. The RO had rejected his nomination papers over submission of a fake degree. However, the appellate tribunal overturned the RO’s verdict allowing Jamali to contest the elections.
The case had come to the BHC after Mohammad Omar Jamali son of former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali challenged the tribunal head’s decision. The Constitution bars convicts in certain cases from contesting elections unless a period of five years has lapsed since their release.
Deciding another poll-related appeal the BHC disqualified ex-provincial minister Behram Khan Achakzai from the election race. In doing so the high court upheld the decisions of the RO and appellate tribunal which had declared him ineligible over his involvement in a corruption case. – Sabah
Meanwhile, Supreme Court of Pakistan Tuesday disqualified former Senator of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Yasmeen Shah barring her from contesting the upcoming general election.
The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar heard the case filed by former Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza against Yasmeen Shah who belongs to district Badin, Sindh.
During the proceeding, Justice Ejazul Hassan said Yasmeen Shah had tempered the record by changing her name in the degree. The CJ in his remarks said that the name of Yasmeen’s father written in matriculation certificate was different. "Enough is enough, such deceitful people cannot be allowed to contest election," he added. The detailed decision of disqualification of Yasmeen Shah will be issued later.
Dr Fehmida Mirza had alleged Yasmeen Shah for possessing fake degree. Election Tribunal had given the verdict in favour of Fehmida Mirza while high court issued decision in favour of Yasmeen Shah.