Senate elections: Tribunal dismisses petitions against JUI-F, PML-N candidates

PESHAWAR: The Election Tribunal on Saturday dismissed petitions raining objection against the candidatures of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Nawaz (JUI-F) candidates Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan and Sheikh Mohammad Yaqoob and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s Delawar Khan for the Senate.

The tribunal headed by Justice Ms Musarrat Hilali dismissed the petitions after hearing the counsels from both the sides.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate for technocrat seat in the Senate, Muhammad Azam Swati had filed petition against Sheikh Yaqoob and Delawar Khan in the tribunal. He claimed that both the candidates were ineligible for technocrat seats in the Senate election as they have less experience than 20 years, which is required for the technocrats seeking seat in the Upper House of Parliament.

Counsels for the respondent candidates, Kausar Ali Shah and Abdul Sattar Khan, submitted that their clients have 20 years experience in business and had provided the relevant documents to this effect to the Returning Officer. They noted that the Returning Officer had cleared their nomination papers.

Nasir Ahmad Khan had challenged the nomination papers of JUI-F candidate Maulana Gul Naseeb, claiming that an unauthorised person had submitted his nomination papers as he was abroad. He also maintained that Maulana Gul Naseeb was involved in corruption when he was senator in the past.

However, the legal counsel for Maulana Gul Naseeb submitted that the Election Tribunal had accepted his nomination papers as an authorised person submitted papers on his behalf. Also, he argued that Maulana Gul Naseeb wasn’t involved in any corruption as there was no proof against his client. Terming the claims of corruption against him as baseless, he pleaded that the petition against Maulana Gul Naseeb be dismissed.

The tribunal, after hearing the arguments, dismissed the three petitions and allowed the candidates to contest the Senate election to be held on March 3.