Legal hurdles await candidates declared POs

ISLAMABAD: The candidates for February polls, which have been declared proclaimed offenders (POs) by courts and are in process of filing their nomination papers are being challenged by their opponents.

On the other hand, the accused implicated in the May 9 arson but still at large will have to face harsh scrutiny as police have obtained their warrants from the anti-terrorism courts, which are being produced to the returning officers across the country so that such candidates are arrested and their nomination papers rejected. 

Law-enforcement agencies are of the view that such anti-state elements shouldn’t be permitted to contest elections. Police have so far secured warrants of the accused involved in attacking on the GHQ Rawalpindi gate on May 9 as first action. All the returning officers are being submitted the warrants to reject nomination papers of 63 accused. Some famous PTI leaders are involved in the reprehensible incidents.

Well-placed sources told The News here on Wednesday that police would contest their nomination papers and urge assistance for their arrest. A police investigation officer has submitted an application for issuance of arrest warrants for such accused in the GHQ gate attack case. The sources said that Umar Ayub Khan, Zartaj Gul, Hammad Azhar, Mian Farrukh Habib, Zulfi Bukhari, Zain Qureshi, Usman Dar, Col Ajmal Sabir Raja, Samauel Yakoon, Ijaz Khan Jazi, Chaudhry Sajid, Javaid Kausar, Wasiq Qayyum, Sikandar Zaib, Ashraf Khan Sonah, Malik Taimur Masood, Arif Abbasi, Raja Rashid Hafeez, Usman Saeed and others are the accused whose arrest warrants have been issued by Ejaz Asif, special judge of an anti-terrorism court. All the accused are involved in case of attacking the GHQ gate on May 9. The case was registered with the RA Bazaar Police, Rawalpindi, under Pakistan Penal Code’s Article 21 and Anti-terrorist Act’s two sections. The offences aren’t bailable. The accused whose arrest warrants have been issued included five former ministers, six former members of National Assembly (MNAs) and seven former members of provincial assemblies. The sources said the Rawalpindi Police were dispatching copies of warrants to all the returning officers with the plea hat their nomination papers should be rejected if they file them. Police in different areas are being asked to nab such accused if they are found in their areas. The sources pointed out that warrants of the accused involved in such cases in other areas are also being sought by the respective police officers. The action would make difficult for PTI leaders implicated in heinous offences as their warrants as proclaimed offenders would be obtained by the courts concerned. Subsequently, their number could reach dozens. It is understood that the returning officers would follow rules and regulations encrypted in the Election Act 2017. They would also seek guidelines form the Election Commission of Pakistan ECP) in the matter if required, the sources said.