Islamabad (July 12, 2018): Petition challenging former PM, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s candidature for NA-57 Rawalpindi has been rejected by the Apex Court.
The petition was filed by Masood Ahmed Abbasi in the top court on Thursday against the approval of the former premier’s nomination papers for NA-57 Rawalpindi I constituency, alleging that the candidate “misstated facts” in his nomination papers.
The complainant had contended that Abbasi should not be permitted to join the electoral race and the verdict by the Lahore High Court should be annulled.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan, part of the bench constituted by the Chief Justice of Pakistan to hear the petition, questioned that if former prime minister Abbasi had concealed facts then where was evidence suggesting the same.
The petitioner’s lawyer told the bench that Abbasi had tampered with records. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar ordered the lawyer to inform the court what Abbasi had “misdeclared”.
Properties listed in income tax returns are also listed in the nomination papers, the chief justice remarked.
The top judge further questioned what relation the petitioner had to the case, and whether he was an opposing candidate.
The court then dismissed the petition, giving a go-ahead to the former PM to contest the July 25 election from NA-57 Rawalpindi I.
LHC Allows Former PM Abbasi To Contest Elections:
Earlier on June 29, Lahore High Court has allowed former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to contest General elections 2018 from his home constituency of NA-57, Murree.
According to the details, A two-member bench headed by Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi accepted Abbasi’s appeal against the appellate tribunal’s decision of rejecting his nomination papers and disqualifying him for life and gave clean chit to the former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to contest the elections.
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Former Prime Minister had challenged the election tribunal decision in Lahore High Court.
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Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said, “The election is not a game. It should not be turned into a spectacle.” He, however, denied any possibility that the PML-N could boycott the elections.
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