LAHORE -  PML-N candidate from NA-120, Kalsoom Nawaz, wife of deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, faced legal constraints as candidates of rival political parties challenged her nomination papers before the Election Commission of Pakistan.

However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has not moved any application so far to challenge her nomination papers before the ECP.

PPP leader Faisal Mir and PAT’s Ishtiaq Chaudhry advocate moved objection petitions before the election tribunal, challenging her candidature.

Faisal Mir moved an objection petition under Section 14 of the Representation of People Act, 1976, read with  sub-section (3) and clauses a, b and c to subsection (4) to Section 3, Political Parties Order, 2002, and under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution and  in the light of many other judgments of the Supreme Court.

He alleged Kalsoom Nawaz belonged to a notorious political family, which was talk of the town owing to the SC verdict on the Panama Papers case for corruption. He said: “She miserably failed to disclose the true financial statement and deliberately as well as with mala fide intent concealed the sources of her financial benefits, which resulted in a plutocratic situation. For these reasons, she is liable to be disqualified for contesting an election. The Supreme Court disqualified her husband and children over their corruption and money laundering.” Mir also alleged she does not qualify for forthcoming election under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. He also said she was determined to win the by-election by rigging, harassment, malpractice and corruption. He alleged Kalsoom was part of money-laundering mafia.

The complainant further objected to her papers that PML-N, her party, did not mention her ex-Pakistan citizenship/iqama, which was a strong reason to believe that she was not eligible to contest election. He added if her nomination papers were accepted, it would a great mischief and a tool against the implementation of the SC orders.

The complainant further contended PML-N did not follow the directions of ECP for the appointment of a new president of the party, so her nomination papers were tantamount to mockery of state laws and the Constitution. Faisal Mir further alleged Kalsoom Nawaz was a direct beneficiary of all the assets involved in the JIT probe and subject matter of the NAB references, pending and to be filed for accountability and recovery of public funds. The petitioner prayed to the ECP to reject nomination papers of Kalsoom Nawaz as a candidate for NA-120 by-election.

PAT leader Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry, in his petition, alleged Kalsoom Nawaz had concealed the truth by not disclosing ‘Iqama’. He said the PML-N nominee had not disclosed her salary she had been withdrawing from their company in UAE as an asset, which was mandatory in the light of the recent judgment of the Supreme Court.

He further alleged she had also concealed her status of being deputy chairman of the same company. By doing so, she had violated Section 14(3) of People’s Representation Act, 1975. She also cannot contest election on the ticket of PML-N which was registered in the name of Nawaz Sharif who had been disqualified by the Supreme Court, he contended. In addition, electoral symbol of PML-N stands automatically cancelled after the SC verdict, the petitioner said.

He prayed to the tribunal to allow his plea and reject nomination papers of Kalsoom Nawaz for being illegal, unlawful and in violation of rules and regulations of the ECP.

Moreover, there is another petition against her candidature, which had been filed by a lawyer, Sarfraz Ahmad. He had raised the question that she could not become a nominee of the party which had lost its president after the SC decision. He had prayed to the tribunal to restrain her from contesting by-election in NA-120.

The ECP had fixed August 17 for scrutiny of nomination papers of PML-N’s Kalsoom Nawaz and PTI’s Dr Yasim Rashid.