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Nomination papers of Yousaf Raza Gillani approved for Senate polls

Nomination papers of Yousaf Raza Gillani approved for Senate polls
February 18, 2021

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday has approved former premier and PDM joint candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani’s nomination papers for the upcoming Senate polls.

While announcing the reserved verdict, the returning officer has rejected the objections raised by PTI leader Fareed Rehman and allowed Yousuf Raza Gilani to contest the elections.

During a hearing on Wednesday, the former prime minister’s lawyer had contended his client had completed the sentence given to him by the Supreme Court. He said Gilani was then able to contest the election.

“Yusuf Raza Gilani’s disqualification ended in 2017,” the lawyer told the ECP.

Rehman's lawyer, however, argued that the former prime minister does not meet the criteria as defined by articles 62 and 63.

He asked the PPP leader’s nomination papers be rejected as NAB was hearing the Toshakhana reference against him. He alleged that the former premier “abused” his powers as a PM.

“Violation of PM's oath [leads to] lifelong disqualification,” said the PTI lawyer.

Gilani’s lawyer intervened and said the case against his client was filed to carry out a media trial. He added that the PTI lawyer was only giving references of cases that were under trial.

He told the RO that if a case is under trial, it does not mean Gilani’s nomination papers should be rejected.

Yousuf Raza Gilani has been fielded as a joint candidate of the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from Islamabad.

Earlier on Wednesday, the ECP started scrutiny of the nomination papers of candidates submitted for the Senate elections.

According to the details garnered, the ECP will scrutinize the nomination papers of 170 candidates till Thursday (tomorrow). The nomination papers include 39 from Sindh, 29 from Punjab, 51 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 41 from Balochistan and 10 from the federal capital.

The ECP today approved the nomination papers of Hafeez Shaikh and Fauzia Arshad for general and women seats from Islamabad. The nomination papers of PML-Q candidate Kamil Ali Agha, PTI’s Zarqa Taimoor and independent Jamshed Iqbal Cheema were approved for the senate seats from Punjab.

The scrutiny of the nomination papers of Azam Nazeer Tarar, a candidate of PML-N was deferred till tomorrow. Tarar has been asked to submit the party’s ticket till 5:00 pm tomorrow. In the absence of the party ticket his nomination papers could be approved as an independent candidate.

The ECP has approved nomination papers of People’s Party candidates for senate seats from Sindh, Sadiq Memon, Saleem Mandviwala, Jam Mehtab, Palwasha Khan, Sherry Rehman and Dost Ali Jaisar.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during scrutiny the nomination papers of all Jamat Islami candidates approved, which includes Dr. Ataur Rehman for general seat, Dr Muhammad Iqbal for technocrat, Inayat Begum for women seat and Javed Gill for minorities seat.

The nomination papers of the People’s Party’s Farhatullah Babar were also approved.

The candidates could file appeals against approval or rejection of nomination papers on February 20. The last date for disposing of the appeals is Feb 23.

The revised list of candidates will be published on February 24, while the candidates could take back their nomination papers on February 25.

The Senate polls are scheduled to be held on March 03.