Ex-minister Ali Raza allowed to contest

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court appellate tribunal on Thursday set aside a decision of a returning officer and allowed former Provisional Education Minister Syed Ali Raza Gillani to contest the upcoming general election from PP-184, Okara.

The retaining officer had rejected the nomination papers of Gillani, entertaining an objection that he concealed his assets, including a luxury vehicle, and did not pay agricultural tax. Gillani had filed an appeal before the tribunal pleading that he had already sold his car last year and got it transferred in the name of the buyer and also paid agricultural income tax.

After going through the documentary evidence, the tribunal set aside the decision of the returning officer and accepted the nomination papers of Gillani from PP-184, Okara. Meanwhile, the tribunal issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on an appeal challenging the acceptance of PML-N’s Saiful Malook Khokhar’s nomination papers from NA-135, Lahore.

It also sought a reply from the ECP on an appeal against PML-N candidature Rana Hayat from NA-140, Kasur. Talib Nikai of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf challenged the nomination papers of Hayat, accusing him of concealing his assets.

Zaid Latif, a voter from NA-72 Sialkot, filed an appeal challenging the acceptence of nomination papers of PTI’s Dr Firdous Ashique Awan. He accused Awan of concealing details of the assets and properties owned by her family members. He said Ms Awan did not fill columns relating to marriage and children in the nomination papers.

Dr Zarqa Suharwardi of PTI filed an appeal against the award of a ticket on reserved seat by her party to Munazza Hassan. The appellant pleaded that Ms Hassan was a dual nationality holder and she also failed to declare her assets in the nomination papers.