SARGODHA, April 5: The returning officer for PP-31 on Friday rejected the nomination papers of former MPA Muhammad Aslam Midhyana and his son-in-law, Nadeem Sarwar Midhyana, on objections raised by Nafees Ahmad Lodhi, a schoolteacher.

Mr Lodhi, who faced the wrath of Midhyana’s henchmen in a brazen assault due to his complaint to the DPO at an open court, is also a candidate for the slot.

He provided a list of more than 40 cases of murderous assault, dacoity, theft and illegal possession against Aslam Midhyana. He further alleged that Aslam had not paid a penny in tax.

Aslam Midhyana pleaded that he was being victimised at the behest of the PML-N as he stood firm and remained loyal to the PPP.

The returning officer rejected the papers of Aslam Midhyana and Nadeem Sarwar.

The nominations of former federal ministers Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheema and Tasneem Qureshi, Dr Arshad Shahid and Nadia Aziz were accepted.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has yet to finalise its candidates for five National Assembly and 11 provincial seats. Kahilon brothers, who quit the PPP to shake hand with the PTI, claim that they have been awarded tickets for NA-66 and PP-34.PML-N district president Shahnawaz Ranjha said Mian Nawaz Sharif was contesting from NA-68, Sargodha V and other names were yet to be decided.

The PPP is also facing difficulty in fielding candidates even on those seats where it emerged successful in 2008.