SAHIWAL/MUZAFFARGARH: The election tribunal of Lahore High Court, Multan Bench, Justice Sarfaraz Dogar, has approved the nomination papers of five PTI candidates from tehsil Chichawatni.

Sources added the nomination papers of Rai Hasan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, retired Maj Ghulam Sarwar, Adil Saeed Gujjar and Rai Iqbal have been accepted.

It is pertinent to note Rai Hasan Nawaz, the divisional president and member PTI Core Committee, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, the former MNA, and Rai Muhammad Iqbal had submitted nominations from NA-143 and PP-203 simultaneously. The Rai family and Maj Ghulam Sarwar were represented by Rana Jawad advocate and Imran Khokkar, respectively.

The returning officer had rejected their papers on technical grounds because Rai Hasan Nawaz was blamed for not paying conversion fees for converting a residential building into commercial along with other corruption charges.

Dasti allowed to contest election

On the other hand, Maj Sarwar’s nomination papers were rejected for not submitting the tax returns and registration fees of his vehicles. In the same manner Adil Saeed Gujjar’s papers were rejected for not submitting excise fees of his vehicle. Both have submitted nomination papers from PP 204, Sahiwal VII.

The nomination papers of Chaudhry Muhammad Asif, the PTI candidate from NA-142, were rejected by the election tribunal. Faisal Dhako’s nomination paper from PP-200 had also been rejected while her daughter Bakhawar Dhako’s papers had been accepted. Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court Multan Bench election tribunal judge approved the appeals of Jamshed Ahmad Khan Dasti of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and allowed him to contest the election.

Now Jamshed Dasti can contest election from NA-175, NA-176 and PP-269, PP-271.

Dast’s nominations papers were rejected by ROs while he moved the court where on Sunday his nominations papers were approved.

Appeal of PTI candidate Abdul Majeed Niazi from Multan, was rejected, and he was declared ineligible for election. The appeal of Abdul Majeed Niazi’s wife Anbar Majeed Niazi’s was adjourned.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2024