RO asks Hina Rabbani Khar to produce marriage certificate

E-Paper | March 17, 2026

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar. — Photo by AP/File

MUZAFFARGARH: The Returning Officer on Saturday asked former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar to produce her marriage certificate during the scrutiny of her nomination papers in Kot Addu for the NA-177 seat.

Returning Officer Abdur Rehman Bodla asked Khar to produce her 'nikahnama' while examining her nomination papers in which the former minister had declared that her husband Feroz Gulzar had liabilities of Rs 35 million.

Khar has agreed to provide the said document. However, bizarre questioning by ROs during the scrutiny of nomination papers throughout the country has come under severe criticism.

Khar is contesting for a National Assembly seat in Kot Addu on a Pakistan Peoples Party ticket. On Saturday, she appeared before the RO for a hearing regarding objections on her nomination. After a brief hearing, the RO reserved his decision which will be announced on Sunday, the last date of nomination papers’ scrutiny.

This follows the Election Commission of Pakistan’s directive to the ROs to refrain from ‘irrelevant’ quizzing of candidates.

The nature of questions being asked by returning officers has attracted severe criticism from media, rights activists and political parties.

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Faryal

Apr 06, 2013 10:11am

Other than Khar being asked to show her nikkahnama what were other instances of irrelevant questioning?

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aziz

Apr 06, 2013 10:23am

My 'nikah-nama' shows a liability of Rs32 only.

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MBA

Apr 06, 2013 10:28am

Is a male candidate also obliged to produce a "nikahnama"? Please consider it as an innocent question from a male Pakistani (not a PPP-Voter) living outside Pakistan for a long long time. It seems to me that Pakistani society has gone back in time in all these years.

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MBA

Apr 06, 2013 10:41am

Are you Foreign Minister? - I presume no. So don

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sraz45

Apr 06, 2013 10:43am

These ROs are perhaps trigger happy, in Ms. Khar's case they wanted to see her in person because she a smart cookie. Her services should be utilized across party lines by the next government. Young people like her are the life blood of the new and emerging Pakistan.

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pakistani

Apr 06, 2013 10:45am

this shows how competent our lower judiciary is ....

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Kashif

Apr 06, 2013 10:58am

If your Wife has Outstanding Liabilities of 35 million you will even be asked for more documents and then penalized. However in this case it will be a topi drama and they will clear them with no objections.

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Zafar Iqbal

Apr 06, 2013 11:06am

There is a very rare source of entertainment in Pakistan.However the "irrelevant " question to the candidates and their answer to RO entertained us too much.

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khanm

Apr 06, 2013 11:13am

At least your Nika Nama shows the liability of 32 rupees but are the liability to this nation. If that is the legal requirement whether it is right or wrong is the requirement then so be it.

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Asif

Apr 06, 2013 11:27am

The mullahs need to be restricted to mosques and should not be allowed to have any say in government and politics.

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Jawaid

Apr 06, 2013 11:36am

I have a Nikhanama of nil liability; having paid the Maher in advance ( I was conned)

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AK84

Apr 06, 2013 11:43am

For once, the question seems fair. The candidates have to give all liabilities of close family (spouse and children) and nikahnama as well as bayforms are part of the supporting documentation. While this is not supposed to be excusing the frankly ridculous questioning that the RO's have done, in this case they actually have a point.

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Ali Sher

Apr 06, 2013 11:47am

I think every one of these politicians should be scrutinized properly as most of them are corrupt. But it should be done with all of them without being biased.

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Bakka

Apr 06, 2013 12:01pm

ROs have not been adquately trained and as a result of media scrunity, they began to crumble. These overzealous ROs, mis-directed thmselves by engaging in pursuant of cheap publicity by questioning religeous knowledge of the candidates.

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Hasnain Haque

Apr 06, 2013 12:01pm

MBA you are right. I live abroad too and when you look in it is embarrassing to see the practices from the dark ages in Pakistan. I would prefer if the RO asked, have you ever taken a Bribe, have you ever committed a crime, have you ever done anything unlawful but the problem is if they did that then 98% of Pakistanis would be disqualified.

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Sajid

Apr 06, 2013 12:09pm

Looks like even living abroad cannot change mindset and we have the habit of questing everything. and degrading poor Pakistan. we do not know the context of why the nikahnama was asked, so why just believe an amateur reporter? as muslims you have a book that always go with some context to everything said in it. Develop to use your own brain and think. Do not just believe what media says.

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Haider

Apr 06, 2013 12:10pm

These Ignorant and puppet ROs should be removed immediately to Save the Country and make elections as per schedule. This is a conspiracy to create Tensions. It is the Job of NADRA to check for Marraige Certificate and Issue the CNIC. Who has instructed the RO to Insult People ??????? Who is Behind all this Non-Sense ???????

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Imraan Mehmood

Apr 06, 2013 12:36pm

Not funny !!!

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MAlvi

Apr 06, 2013 12:55pm

I don't understand the liability of Rs3.5 million of her husband; is that 'haq mahar' or he owes money to others?

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Singh

Apr 06, 2013 01:22pm

It seem like even God can not save Pakistan from ignorance. It is running toward dark age with speed of light.

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Shahid Khan

Apr 06, 2013 02:34pm

I don't consider questions about religion irrelevant. Yes asking about. How many wives you have is of course irrelevant. How ever the questions asked by RO and replied given by potential candidates does make a laughable reading. In fact if collected and reproduced in a book form it could a best seller.

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SMD

Apr 06, 2013 11:29pm

Pakistani peoples know about all the politicians and now is their exam in election whether they will eat poison again or they will reject all influences and will sacrify for the future of Pakistan .They have now one correct leader for selection.

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Khan

Apr 07, 2013 12:20am

How us this Irrelevant , her husband is defaulter of Rs. 35Million ,? Is she claiming that she has not benefited from these 35Million. I believe this default is for the last 5 years when she was a minister ? what other proof do we need. I would say search their houses for hidden wealth.

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Nana

Apr 07, 2013 03:12am

She was asked hte Nikahnama only cause she shows huge liabilities owed by her husband, now she also needs to document her link to the guy she is showing to have liabilities its all about proper financial documentation. Media just make a story out of nothing.

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sarkar

Apr 07, 2013 03:20am

incompetent

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Khan

Apr 07, 2013 02:39pm

He has not paid tax money and bills for his factory...

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dr vimal raina

Apr 07, 2013 02:44pm

Usa, Israel and India are behind all this nonsense, to answer your last question.

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shahan

Apr 08, 2013 06:46am

@singh: save ur poverty stricken country first then instruct us!!!

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paddysingh

Apr 08, 2013 08:03am

This is Pakistan's growing problem. Once the Mullahs take over, they will bring the country to the ground. To be honest, the only man who can bring sanity back to Pakistan is a dictator different from the likes of Ayub Khan and Yahah Khan - there is Musharaf. You honestly need the man without blinkers on.

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