Number of appeals against rejection of nomination papers in Sindh tops 90

KARACHI: Around 70 more appellants on Tuesday approached the elections tribunals against the decisions of returning officers about rejection and acceptance of nomination papers.

Awab Alvi, a son of President Arif Alvi, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s former MNAs Alamgir and Aftab Jahangir and Aurangzeb Farooqui of Pakistan Rah-i-Haq Party were among the appellants who filed their appeals against ROs’ orders on the second day of the process.

Officials at the Sindh High Court said that they have so far received over 90 such appeals during the last two days and over 70 on Tuesday alone.

Around 20 appeals were submitted on Monday. Wednesday (today) is the last day to file such appeals. Six election appellate tribunals, established across the province, will decide such appeals by Jan 10.

The nomination papers of Awab Alvi were rejected from NA-241(Karachi South-III) and the candidatures of former lawmakers Alamgir and Aftab Jahangir were declined from NA-236 (Karachi East-II) and NA-244 (Karachi West-I), respectively.

The leader of Pakistan Rah-i-Haq Party through his lawyer also filed election petition as his nomination papers for PS-88 (Malir-V) were rejected by the RO concerned.

PTI’s candidates Amjad Iqbal Afridi, who filed his papers for NA-242 and NA- 243(Karachi Keamari I & II), Aslam Khalid for NA-248 (Karachi Central-II), Subhan Ali Sahil (NA-243) and Muzammil Aslam for NA-241 (Karcahi South-III) also approached the election tribunals after their nomination papers were rejected.

Besides, some candidates of Pakistan Peoples Party and Awami National Party and a large number of independent aspirants also challenged the decisions of ROs.

The candidatures of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leaders Dr Fehmida Mirza, her spouse Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and their sons were rejected from two NA and three provincial assembly seats from Badin.

While talking to media on the premises of SHC, Barrister Hasnain Mirza was of the view that identical objections were raised against the candidature of his parents in the past and the SHC had dismissed the same.

He further said that his candidature was rejected for NA-222 (Badin-I) and PS-70 while the nomination papers for PS-71 were accepted.

The RO of NA-223 (Badin-II) had turned down the candidatures of Dr Fehmida and Dr Mirza as well as their son Hassam Mirza on similar grounds and the RO’s orders said that the lawyers of two banks and contesting candidates had filed objections against the couple while Election Commission of Pakistan in its report also said that the names of both candidates fell in the default list received from the State Bank of Pakistan.

They are likely to approach the election tribunals on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2024