PHC upholds disqualification of PTI candidate

MANSEHRA: Abbottabad circuit bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday upheld the disqualification order by the returning officer against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s Kamal Saleem Swati.

Advocate Waqar Khan informed reporters that he had contested Kamal Saleem Swati’s disqualification in the PHC’s regional election tribunal. However, the tribunal dismissed his plea, upholding the returning officer’s decision.

Returning Officer for NA-14 Mansehra-I, Babar Khan Tanoli, disqualified PTI leader Kamal Saleem Swati from participating in the February 8 general elections, citing his failure to meet the age requirement of 25 years on the day of scrutiny.

“My client’s age on the day of scrutiny was only a day less than the required 25 years to contest the elections. However, the returning officer did not allow him to run for the elections and rejected his nomination papers on age grounds,” Waqar explained.

Challenging the returning officer’s decision, Waqar took the matter to the PHC’s regional tribunal in Hazara, which affirmed the decree and dismissed the petition.Expressing optimism, he stated, “We have decided to approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking relief for Swati in the age limit for election contesting. I am optimistic that our plea will be accepted, allowing him to contest the February 8 general elections.”

Meanwhile, Kamal Saleem Swati, the nephew of PTI divisional president Babar Saleem Swati, faced a similar disqualification from contesting the February 8 general elections in PK-37 by the returning officer concerned on the age grounds.