KARACHI, May 9: Two candidates of the Pakistan Peoples Party for the national assembly and provincial assembly were barred on Thursday from contesting the upcoming general elections as the Sindh High Court set aside the acceptance of their nomination papers by the respective returning officers.

A full bench headed by Justice Maqbool Baqar, however, suspended its orders for seven days so that the PPP candidates could avail the remedy before the Supreme Court. The court also observed that the result of respective constituencies might not be announced till the orders of the apex court in this regard.

The bench set aside the returning officer’s order regarding acceptance of nomination paper of PPP candidate Sadiq Memon for contesting election to a National Assembly seat (NA-237) and a Sindh Assembly seat (PS-84) in Thatta.

Petitioner Abdul Wahid Bux, a rival candidate from the same constituency, challenged the candidature of Mr Memon alleging that the PPP candidate made false statement before the Election Commission regarding his dual nationality and after the Supreme Court’s verdict he first resigned from being member provincial assembly and later he again contested the by-elections from Thatta after surrendering his Canadian nationality.

The petitioner contended that Mr Memon could not be declared as ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Ameen’ because he had made false statement regarding his dual nationality.

The court rejected the nomination papers of PPP candidate Mohammad Khan Junejo, a candidate for NA-235 and PS-80 on ground of fake degree. His candidature was challenged by Mir Khan Khoso.

The court also disposed of the petition filed by PPP leader Dr. Fahmida Mirza against the nomination papers of Bibi Yasmeen Shah and her spouse Syed Ali Bux Shah from with direction to the respondents to file their education documents before Election Commission within ten days.

The court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct inquiry regarding education documents of the respondents and decide the same within one month so that legal consequences may follow.