Papers rejection for NA-133 by-polls: ECP dismisses Jamshed Cheema’s allegations

ISLAMABAD: A day after rejection of nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his covering candidate, his wife, for NA-133 Lahore by-polls, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Sunday dismissed the allegations he levelled against it as ill-founded.

On Saturday, the returning officer (RO) rejected the nomination papers of Cheema and his wife Musarrat on the ground that the proposers and seconders for the two were not residents of the constituency, as required under the relevant election laws. In a statement issued on Sunday, the election body said Cheema accused it of transferring the votes of his proposers from NA-133 to some other constituency.

The ECP said their votes are registered in NA-130 since 2018, adding that 2018 voter lists and subsequent review lists are available on record to back up its claim. It vowed not to make any compromise over the transparency of the election.

On Saturday, the ruling PTI decided to challenge the ECP decision of rejecting the nomination papers of Cheema and his wife. Cheema told the media no one could be barred from participating in the election process on a technical basis. The biggest party of the country could not be deprived of the right to contest the by-election, he said.