LAHORE: The returning officer (RO) on Thursday reserved decision on objections raised against the nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan for NA-122 Lahore and is likely to announce it on December 30.
The RO reserved the decision the PML-N’s candidate’s application, raising objections to the nominations submitted by the former premier for the constituency NA-122 Lahore after hearing detailed arguments from both sides.
The returning officer’s office was packed with PTI’s lawyers and as proceedings commenced, Imran’s counsels – Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique and Rai Muhammad Ali, told the RO that the objections were not maintainable and need to be rejected.
On the other hand, the argument of counsel for objector, PML-N’s former MPA and current candidate for provincial assembly Mian Naseer, revolved around how could a convicted person could be allowed to contest elections. He implored the RO that candidate Imran’s sentence was suspended while his disqualification still exists.
He asked if Imran’s counsels could produce a copy of any order by the apex court regarding their appeal which is pending in the Toshakhana case and further asked if PTI’s counsel could produce the same for suspension of Imran’s disqualification.
Siddique argued that Imran had not been disqualified under Article 62 and 63 and there is proper procedure enshrined in the Constitution regarding disqualification.
When asked by the RO whether any court had suspended the disqualification, Siddiqui said they will provide details “shortly”.
On the objection whether Imran’s seconder belonged to the relevant constituency, Ali argued that the seconder and proposer belonged to NA-122 and the delimitation of the constituency was changed post-December 15 and by that date, the ECP had announced the election schedule.
“It is binding upon the ECP to not delimit any constituency before four months of the elections. This conspiracy was hatched merely to keep Imran at bay from contesting elections,” he contended.
When asked by the RO why the party had not challenged the delimitations, Siddique said the apex court had stated that matters related to delimitations would be heard after the general elections.
He further argued PTI did not raise any objection over the disqualification of Nawaz.
