More candidates cleared to contest elections

PESHAWAR: Three election tribunals on Monday accepted the appeals of another 31 candidates, whose nomination papers had been rejected by the respective returning officers.

Justice Shakeel Ahmad, Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Waqar Ahmad of the Peshawar High Court heard the appeals. Lawyers, Syed Sikandar Shah, Shah Alam, Shah Faisal, Mohammad Ayaz and Farooq Malik appeared on behalf of the appellants.

The candidates, whose nomination papers were accepted on appeals, included Abu Turab, Aftab Alam, Khurram Zeeshan, Sania Haider, Mian Khaliq-ur-Rehman for NA-34, PK-87 and PK-89 and others

Similarly, the tribunals rejected the appeals of 10 candidates, including Taimur Hassan for NA-31, Dost Mohammad Khan for NA-21, Horia Khan for PK-83 and others. Our correspondent from Wana adds: The nomination papers of Taj Muhammad Wazir, an independent candidate for Lower South Waziristan constituency PK-110, and Awami National Party (ANP)’s Ayaz Wazir from the same area were approved on Monday.

Earlier, the nomination papers of both candidates had been rejected by the returning officer due to certain deficiencies.Both candidates appeared in the RO’s office, where their papers were approved. In the past too, Taj Muhammad Wazir and Ayaz Wazir have contested elections from the area.

Speaking to journalists, they said they would also appear in a court to confirm their bail before arrest because they had been nominated in an FIR on the occasion of the Wana Olasi Pasoon.They hoped to start their election campaign activities once their BBA is confirmed.