Dismissing appellate tribunal’s decision disqualifying Abbasi, the LHC ruled in his favour.
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 29th June, 2018) The Lahore High Court (LHC) has allowed former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to contest elections from NA-57.
Dismissing appellate tribunal’s decision disqualifying Abbasi, the LHC ruled in the PMLN leader’s favour.
The Appellate Election Tribunal on Wednesday rejected nomination papers of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, submitted for NA-57, his home constituency, Murree.
According to details, the tribunal on Monday reserved its verdict on an appeal against the acceptance of Abbasi's nomination papers by the Returning Officer (RO) and announced it on Wednesday.
Announcing the decision, the tribunal head, Justice Ibad ur Rehman Lodhi of Lahore High Court accepted all the objections of the petitioner.
Petitioner Masood Ahmed Abbasi had challenged Khaqan Abbasi's candidature. Among other accusations, the petitioner had alleged that Abbasi did not provide correct details of his assets.
Ex-premier Abbasi's counsel informed the tribunal that his client had declared all of his assets in the documents submitted to the Election Commission of pakistan. "Declared assets in both of my client's nomination papers are the same," he said, adding that Abbasi had listed his shares in an airline in both documents.
Following the verdict, former prime minister Abbasi had filed a petition in the LHC as per his constitutional right.
According to article 62, 63, the election tribunal was not authorized to disqualify any politician and that his disqualification would be challenged in the court, he said.
He said such decisions were making elections controversial and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should take notice of the matters.
