NA-120 by-polls: ECP accepts papers of Kulsoom, Yasmin, Faisal

LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday approved the nomination papers of PML-N candidate Begum Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif, PTI candidate Yasmin Rashid and PPP candidate Faisal Mir for the NA-120 by-election.

The seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court de-seated prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the PanamaLeaks case. The commission rejected the reservations raised by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) candidates about Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif’s candidature.

The returning officer said two petitioners had made nine objections to Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers and all of them were rejected after thoroughly listening to arguments.  The PAT and PTI candidates challenged her nomination papers saying the name of a disqualified person’s party could not be used in the election and her UAE Iqama (work permit) was not affixed with documents.

PTI candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid took the plea that the details of assets of Kulsoom’s spouse mentioned in the nomination papers did not match with what the Joint Investigation Team of the PanamaLeaks case had discovered. 

“Nawaz’s documents of assets and Iqama attached with the nomination papers have been declared forged by the Supreme Court,” she said. The petitioner said the nomination papers did not include details of income from Capital-FZE Company, tax returns, furniture at Murree residency and other valuables.

She complained on Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s directive development work in the constituency was still in progress which was tantamount to pre-poll rigging.  She urged the RO for rejection of Kulsoom’s nomination papers. 

Meanwhile, the nomination papers of Yasmin Rashid were accepted by the ECP. Her candidature was accepted when PPP candidate Faisal Mir withdrew his objections. Mir’s nomination papers were also accepted.