RAWALPINDI - After a tough legal battle, the nomination papers of PML-N former MNA Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan have been accepted for NA-56 by the Returning Officer (RO) and District and Session Judge Muhammad Naheem Arshad here on Saturday.
Similarly, the ROs accepted the nomination papers of PML-N candidate Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PPPP Ghulam Murtaza Satti and Javed Iqbal Satti, an independent candidate, for contesting elections 2013 for NA-50, Jabran Gill, an independent candidate for NA-52, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed of Awami Muslim League (AML) for NA-55 and Jabran Gill for NA-52 as an independent nominee.
The nomination papers of three candidates of Provincial Assembly seats were rejected.
According to details, RO for NA-56 Muhammad Naeem Arshad resumed hearing in the objections raised over the nomination papers of Imran Khan and Pakistan Muslim League PML-N Hanif Abbasi.
Naheem Arshad after hearing the arguments of Raja Shujaur Rahman, council of the petitioner Khurram Munir who filed objections against Imran Khan, ruled in favor of PTI Chief accepting his nomination papers for NA-56.
Similarly, nomination forms of Hanif Abbasi were also accepted after summoning the politician in person. Abbasi appeared before the court and responded to the queries of RO. Later, his nomination papers were accepted for NA-56.
Taking up the hearing in N league Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and two other candidates Murtaza and Javed Iqbal’s cases, RO NA-50 Muhammad Jahangir Mir accepted their nomination papers after the arguments of their lawyers. The nomination papers of Basit Ali and Kamal Azfar, a journalist, have also been accepted for NA55 and 56 respectively.
Raja Tariq Murtaza, a PTI nominee for PP-2, and Fayyaz Satti, an independent candidate for PP-1, were those whose papers were rejected.
However, the fate of PML-N stalwarts Ch Nisar Ali Khan, Malik Abrar Ahmed, PPP Zumarad Khan and PML-Q Raja Muhammad Basharat would be decided today (Sunday) by the ROs of their constituencies concerned.
The PML-N Malik Abrar, also former MNA from NA-54, facing the objections of showing his annual income up to Rs1.6 million while his expenses are Rs2.5 million.
The decision on PML-N Ch Nisar Ali Khan, an aspirant for NA-52, will be laid down today by the RO 52.
An advocate filed objection to his nomination papers of showing suspected educational documents, concealing the real cost value of his property and expenses of his foreign tours. Besides, he also showed low cost of 634 kanals of land which according to Nisar valuing only Rs0.6 million.
The RO would also take on nomination papers of an independent candidate for NA-56 Naveed Kiani today as he said in his papers that his business firm was affiliated with USAID. The RO asked to produce credentials that in what capacity he was affiliated to the US-based relief organization. Another candidate would face court of RO for concealing his tax details.
According to data, gathered from courts of ROs, 4 nomination papers were accepted for NA-56. Total of 11 nomination papers out of 43 for NA-55 have been accepted, 1 rejected and 4 papers to be heard on Sunday (today).
16 nomination papers were accepted for NA-50, 8 for PP-2, 3 for PP-13, 4 for PP-14, 19 for PP-19 and 11 for PP-11.
Besides a journalist Azhar-bin-Karim (the independent candidates for PP-12), Chaudhry Muhammad Ayaz, Javed Mughal, Raja Muhammad Hanif advocate, former MPA Malik Iftikhar Ahmed and Rasheed Khan of N league, Malik Mehboob and Pakistan Aman Party’s Haji Gulzar Awan were declared clear by ROs to contest elections for Provincial Assembly seats.