LAHORE - The returning officer concerned Thursday accepted the nomination papers of PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz for NA-127.
The daughter of the former premier appeared before the RO on Wednesday and requested for exemption from personal appearance due to her scheduled flight for London.
The ROs continued scrutiny of the nomination papers for 14 National Assembly and 30 Punjab Assembly seats from Lahore and accepted the papers of PML-N leader Kh Saad Rafiq, Kh Salman Rafiq and Ghazala Rafiq for NA-131, PTI’s Malik Karamat Khokhar and his son Tauqeer Khokhar for NA-135.
PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid challenged nomination papers of PML-N’s Zaeem Hussain Qadri for NA-125. She raised 13 objections to his nomination papers.
To the question of the RO for NA-131 regarding major issues, Saad Rafiq said intolerance was the basic problem. He suggested leaders of all the political parties should sit together after the elections for better future of the country. He said all institutions, including judiciary and army, should also be taken on board. He claimed sincere efforts were made during the last five years for resolving the energy crisis.
Later, talking to the media after acceptance of his nomination papers, Saad Rafiq said he has not raised any objection to the nomination papers of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
“I will not say anything about the personal life of Imran Khan. I differ with the style of his politics which has damaged the democracy,” he said, adding all punishments were only for Nawaz Sharif.
The former federal minister for railways questioned division of his constituency into three parts, adding the recent delimitation was a big injustice. “I won the last election with a big lead of more than 40,000 votes. The ECP has taken out the areas from my constituency where unprecedented development was carried out during the last five years,” he said.
SHARIFS OFF TO LONDON
Former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz left for London on Thursday to see the ailing Begum Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif.
They will stay in London for a week during which they will celebrate Eid with Begum Kalsoom Nawaz, who has been under treatment in London for her cancer disease since September 17 last.
In her tweet, Maryam said that they were leaving for London where they will stay for a week. “I am anxiously waiting to see my mother and hug her,” she said in the tweet.
The two sons of Nawaz Sharif, namely Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz will also join their father and sister in London.
Nawaz and Maryam flew to London through a private airline yesterday morning. Before leaving for London, a large number of party workers gathered at their Jati Umra residence and saw off their leaders by showering rose petals and chanting slogans. The Jati Umra Road was washed before the cavalcade of the Sharif passed through this track.
The Sharifs are facing accountability references before the trial court in Islamabad. The next hearing of the case has been fixed as June 19. By then, the accused are expected to return home. Of the three criminal references one relating to Avanfield Apartments London, is in the final stage as only arguments by the defence counsel are left. It may be mentioned that senior advocate Khwaja Muhammad Harris, who has pleaded for Nawaz Sharif from the beginning, has quit the case resenting against the Supreme Court decision of not allowing him time more than one months when the case has already been under hearing for eight months.