ROs want Imran to personally defend poll objections

LAHORE: The returning officers for NA-131 (Lahore IX) and NA-53 (ICT II) on Monday told the lawyers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan that their client will have to present himself before them in person to defend the challenges to his nomination papers in the two constituencies.

Advocate Babar Awan appeared on behalf of Imran Khan in NA-131 Lahore, but the RO directed him to tell his client to appear in person to clarify his position. The RO told Awan that those claiming to bring change in the country should respect the law themselves.

Imran’s nomination papers for NA-131 present a tax figure different than what is mentioned in his tax returns filed with FBR. The PTI chief also faced objections to his candidature in Islamabad’s NA-53.

The objection has been raised by a candidate of the Justice and Democratic Part led by former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. The erstwhile top judge claimed Imran was ineligible to hold public office under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution because he fathered a child out of wedlock with Sita White.

Appearing before the RO, Khan’s lawyer Tajammul Hussain said such objections had been raised against his client before the 2013 general elections too in vain.

He stated that the objections to Imran’s candidacy are baseless and based on fraud.

The objections have been submitted over photostated documents and have yet to be verified, states the written reply, adding that the objections raised against Imran fall under the ambit of forgery.

It further mentions that there is a legal mechanism in place to send or receive documents from foreign countries, adding that the objections raised against Imran’s candidacy are allegations.

A decision is yet to be taken on the objections.

The PTI chairman has submitted nomination papers from National Assembly constituencies in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Bannu and Mianwali.

Other politicians contesting from NA-53 include PML-N’s Barrister Zafarullah, Mehtab Abbasi and PTI’s Ilyas Meherbaan among others.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will complete the process of examining the nomination papers by Tuesday.

A total of 21,482 nomination papers have been filed across the country for national and provincial assemblies.

As many as 6063 candidates are contesting for 342 seats of the National Assembly while 15419 nomination papers have been filed for the provincial assemblies seats.

As per the election schedule, appeals against rejection or acceptance of nomination papers can be filed by June 22.

Candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by June 29 and the electoral body will announce the final list of candidates the same day.

Electoral symbols will be issued to candidates on June 30 while polling will be held on July 25.