LAHORE    -   The Lahore High Court (LHC) Thursday dismissed a petition challenging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan’s decision to contest by-polls in nine constituencies after being withdrawn.

Justice Shahid Jamil Khan heard the petition filed by Aman Taraqi Party Punjab President Mian Asif Mehmood. The court questioned whether the PTI chief had submitted nomination papers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The counsel for the petitioner replied that no nomination papers had been submitted yet. The court observed that the matter was still immature, adding that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the ECP and why the petitioner had not approach the commission. The court remarked that after submission of nomination papers, the petitioner should approach first the election commission.  The petitioner’s counsel, after hearing the court’s remarks, sought permission to withdraw the petition. Subsequently, the court dismissed the petition as being withdrawn. The petitioner had sought directions to restrain the PTI chairman from contesting by-polls from nine constituencies that fell vacant after the National Assembly speaker had accepted the resignations of his party’s lawmakers.