RAWALPINDI: In contrast to a trend across the country, the PTI leaders in Rawalpindi fared better as most of the candidates – barring a few notable exceptions – were cleared by the respective returning officers during the scrutiny of their nomination papers for 2024 polls.

Papers of Raja Tariq Kiani – former city mayor and veteran PTI man – Musadiq Kiani, and Chaudhry Adnan passed the scrutiny so did the nomination forms filed by the PML-N aspirants for the seven National Assembly seats in Rawalpindi.

However, a significant number of PTI leaders and its allies faced setbacks as their nomination papers could not get past the scrutiny stage. These leaders include former PTI MPA Raja Basharat, Umer Tanveer, PTI ally Sheikh Rashid, and Ijazul Haq, son of military dictator Ziaul Haq.

In NA-55, PTI’s former provincial law minister Raja Basharat, his brother Raja Nasir, Ziyad Kiani, former MPA Umer Tanveer Butt, Ijazul Haq, and seven other people’s papers were rejected.

Sheikh Rashid, Raja Basharat among rejected candidates

PML-N’s Malik Abrar Ahmed and Malik Iftikhar’s nomination papers were accepted. At least 42 people had submitted their nomination papers for this seat and 31 were cleared.

In NA-56, former interior minister and chief of Awami Mulsim League (AML) Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and his nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafique’s nomination papers were rejected by Returning Officer Nazarat Hussain Shah, who is additional commissioner coordination, due to the objection of a voter who accused the former minister of concealment of his property.

On the other hand, PTI’s former vice-president for Punjab Raja Tariq Mehboob Kiani, PML-N’s local leaders Hanif Abbasi, Danyial Chaudhry, Malik Shakeel Awan, and PPP’s Sumaira Gul’s papers were accepted. As many as 32 candidates’ nomination papers were accepted from this constituency.

In NA-57, Sheikh Rashid and his nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafique’s nomination papers were rejected by Returning Officer Ahmed Hassan Ranjha over the concealment of property and payments owed to Murree Rest House.

On the other hand, PTI Central Executive Committee Member Ch Mussadaq Mahmood Ghuman and former MPA Ch Adnan’s nomination papers were accepted. Papers of PML-N’s Sajjad Khan, Danyal Chaudhry, Sarfraz Afzal, and PPP’s Iftikhar Chaudhry, and Mukhtar Abbas were also accepted. The nomination papers of 30 candidates were accepted.

In a comment on the rejection of his papers, Sheikh Rashid said that he had no property in Sihal village and no pending dues in Murree Rest House.

“I will challenge the decision in the high court and Supreme Court,” he said, adding that the objection was fabricated as he had declared his 1,200-kanal of land in the papers.

“Why would I conceal only 10 marlas of land,” he said, adding that he never stayed at Murree Rest House.

He said that his political opponent wanted to throw him out of the political arena but he would never back down.

“I will come into the political arena after winning my case in the Lahore High Court and in the Supreme Court. I have been in parliamentary politics since 1985 and I know all the requirements of the nomination papers,” he said.

On the other hand, Sheikh Rashid Shafique said alleged that the district administration made ‘fabricated’ papers for a 10-marla land in his and his uncle Sheikh Rashid’s name. He said such an objection was made by PML-N former MNA Malik Shakeel Awan in the past but they won the case in the Supreme Court.

Elahi, Amir fail scrutiny

In Chakwal, the nomination papers of key PTI candidates, including its central president Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and columnist Ayaz Amir, were rejected in all six constituencies of Chakwal and Talagang over the objections filed by different persons. However, nomination papers of PTI’s lesser-known candidates, particularly those belonging to the legal fraternity, were accepted.

“A slaughter of PTI candidates is going on in the country. We in Chakwal faced the same which was happening to other candidates of PTI across the country,” Ayaz Amir said while talking to Dawn. He added that he and other candidates would file appeals before the election tribunal.

— Nabeel Anwar Dhakku in Chakwal also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2023