Abbasi, Gulalai allowed to contest from NA-53, Kh Asif also gets go-ahead

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Islamabad Election Appellate Tribunal allowed former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mehtab Abbasi and Ayesha Gulalai to contest the elections from Islamabad's NA-53 constituency, dismissing the rejection of their nomination papers by the returning officer. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, presiding over the appellate tribunal, heard the appeal filed by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi against rejection of his nomination papers from NA-53. Abbasi’s counsel contended that the RO misunderstood the affidavit of Supreme Court. “The RO had also exceeded his authorities.” The tribunal set aside the RO's decision to reject the papers of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mehtab Abbasi and Ayesha Gulalai. On the other hand, an appellate tribunal consisted of Lahore High Court’s Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi rejected appeals against the candidatures of Khawaja Asif of the PML-N and PTI leader Firdous Ashiq Awan from NA-73 and NA-72 respectively. In the petition, it was alleged that former foreign minister Khawaja Asif had not fully disclosed his assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan. Terming the petition non-maintainable, the appellate tribunal dismissed it. On Monday, the tribunal had listened to arguments of both parties and reserved its verdict on the petition. On the other side, a petitioner, Zaid Latif, had objected against acceptance of nomination papers and contended that Firdous Ashiq Awan had not filled the column to disclose details of her marriage and offspring adding that the details regarding her properties were also not provided. Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi rejected the petition, stating that the returning officer had accepted Awan's nomination papers as per the law.