ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition challenging Jhang’s NA-115 election candidate Sheikh Waqas Akram’s candidacy and allowed him to contest the upcoming polls on July 25.
His candidacy had been challenged by a voter of the constituency, Mohammad Imran.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan during the hearing of the case said that Akram’s nomination papers ‘do not contain any false declarations’.
Similarly, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed observed that there is ‘no court declaration against the candidate’s college degree’. Thus, dismissing the petition and upholding the Lahore High Court’s decision on the matter.
Earlier, the election tribunal and the Lahore High Court had both ruled in Akram’s favour following which the petitioner had approached the Supreme Court.
Imran had pleaded the relevant forums stating that the returning officer had rejected the nomination papers of Akram on the basis of fake academic credentials and concealment of assets.
For the July 25 polls, Akram and former senator Syeda Sughra Imam are contesting as independent candidates whereas Ghulam Bibi Bharwana will contest the polls on a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ticket.
Akram is a former MNA from Jhang and has also remained a former federal minister.
