TIMERGARA, April 7: Returning officer for NA-34, Lower Dir, Pir Bukhsh on Sunday rejected nomination papers of 12 candidates, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) deputy chief Maulana Gul Naseeb and former state minister and Pakistan People’s Party candidate Malik Azmat Khan.

Other candidates for NA-34 whose nomination papers were rejected are: Aurangzeb  and Malik Rahmatullah of PPP; Maulana Gul Rahim of JUI-F; Shafiur Rahman of All Pakistan Muslim League; Rahimullah Khan of Tehrik Tahaffuz-i-Pakistan; Mohammad Jawad of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party; and Tariq Nawaz, Mohammad Fayyaz  and Farooq Ahmad of PTI besides one independent Dr Bahramand.

The papers of Malik Azmat were rejected because of his failure to produce a copy of his degree verified by the Higher Education Commission. Gul Naseeb also failed to provide verified version of his religious ‘sanad’ (certificate). Some of them failed to provide utility bills. A total of 27 aspirants had submitted nomination papers for the seat.

The returning officer for PK-97, Lower Dir-IV, also rejected nomination papers of JUI’s Gul Naseeb, PPP’s Malik Azmat and Zakirullah Khan besides Syed Ghani of PML-N and independent candidate Mahboob Shah.

The RO, Alamgir Shah, had summoned the candidates on Sunday, but they failed to satisfy him. Nomination papers of Malik Azmat were rejected because of discrepancies in his assets statements submitted to the election commission and attached with his nomination papers. He also failed to provide verified copy of his degree. Mr Ghani’s nomination was rejected because he had shown Rs1.8 million cost of his house in Islamabad. Former MPA Zakirullah’s nomination papers were rejected because he had not mentioned his visit to the UAE in July 2010.

Talking to media persons, Alamgir Shah said that candidates whose papers were rejected could file an appeal with the election tribunal in Peshawar.

The nomination papers of the only woman candidate, Nusrat Begum, were accepted for NA-34. She has been striving to get ticket of the PTI to contest the May 11 election.

“I will contest it as independent candidate if I was not given ticket by the party,” she told this correspondent at Chakdara.

MIRAMSHAH: Returning officer Mohammad Tahiruddin has rejected nomination papers of nine candidates for NA-40, North Waziristan Agency, on various grounds.

Total 48 candidates have submitted nomination papers for the only National Assembly seat of the agency.

Candidates whose papers were rejected include Mohammad Din, Mahboobur Rehman, Mohammad Tayyab, Naval Khan, Kiramat Khan, Jalat Khan, Hameedullah and Aurangzeb Khan. Scrutiny of papers of one candidate was kept pending till midnight. The JUI-F has allotted ticket to Aqal Khan; PML-N has fielded Nek Amal Khan, PTI Shabir Ahmad and JI Misal Khan from the NA-40. The ANP and PPP have not nominated candidates from this constituency so far. Former MNA Kamran Khan is also contesting election.

PARACHINAR: The returning officers for NA-37 and NA-38, Kurram Agency, have rejected nomination papers of 11 candidates.

Total 35 candidates had filed papers for NA-37 (Kurram Agency-I) and papers of six candidates were rejected on Sunday. Besides, nomination papers of five candidates were rejected for NA-38 (Kurram Agency-II) where total 27 candidates had filed papers.

KOHAT: Nomination papers of one National Assembly and two KP Assembly candidates from Hangu were rejected by the returning officers on Sunday.

The papers of Hussain Ali Shah from PK-42 were rejected when his BA degree turned out to be fake. However, he has filed an appeal in the court challenging the RO’s decision. The court would decide the fate of the case within a week.

The returning officer rejected the papers of former MNA and ANP candidate Haider Ali Shah for not showing performance concerning development of the area in his nomination papers. He was given two days to submit details of his performance otherwise he would be permanently barred from contesting elections.

The papers of Hassan Khan of ANP, contesting from PK-42, Hangu, were rejected because he had not mentioned his business and source of income in the papers. He had been given two days to complete the nomination form.

Meanwhile, the regional election commission, Kohat, has received 47 approved nomination papers of candidates for one National Assembly and three provincial assembly seats.

The returning officers had in all received 59 nomination papers of which only two were rejected on different grounds. Those candidates had the right to appeal, an official said.

In all, 23 candidates filed nomination papers for the only seat of NA-14, Kohat, and all the papers had been approved. Papers of one each candidate was rejected for PK-38 and PK-39.