MANSEHRA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Monday challenged in the regional election tribunal, Hazara, the clearance of nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif by the returning officer for NA-15.

“Mr Sharif was disqualified for holding any public office and contesting elections by the Supreme Court in 2017, and how a returning officer could give him a clean chit to contest the Feb 8 election from NA-15, Mansehra-II,” Waqar Khan, a PTI legal adviser, told reporters here.

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Flanked by other PTI leaders, he said a lawyers’ panel led by him had moved a writ petition in Peshawar High Court’s Abbottabad Circuit Bench challenging the order of returning officer Hajrah Sami, who rejected their objections raised against Mr Sharif during the scrutiny process the other day.

“How she can set aside apex court ruling,” Mr Khan wondered, saying Mr Sharif also didn’t appear before the returning officer to sign his nomination papers. He wondered that the same returning officer had rejected the nomination papers of his client, Senator Azam Khan Swati.

“We are sure the election tribunal set up to decide such appeals and petitions in the Hazara division will dispense the PTI with justice, and Mr Sharif will be barred from taking part in elections in light of the apex court verdict,” Mr Khan said.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2024