The process of filing nomination papers for general elections has been completed and now candidates have started filing appeals against the decisions of returning officers (ROs) against their candidatures.
The respective appellate tribunals will decide on the appeals by January 10 and election symbols allotted to the candidates on January 13. As per the election commission schedule, the scrutiny of nomination papers for seats reserved for women, and minorities will be held till January 13.
The hearing of appeals against acceptance and rejection of nomination papers is underway.
Lahore High Court
The LHC has established nine tribunals. So far, a hearing on the circular appeal against the approval of the nomination papers of Afazl Minsha from Diska PP-51 was conducted wherein the Appellate Tribunal has issued notices and sought answers.
In Lahore, no appeal has been filed yet against the rejection of the papers of former chairman PTI, Hamad Azhar, and Yasmin Rashid.
An appeal has been filed in the Election Tribunal against the approval of Nawaz Sharif's papers from NA-130, by the head of Pakistan Awami Mahaz—Ishtiaq Chaudhary.
The appeal stated that the Supreme Court had disqualified Nawaz Sharif for life and PMLN supremo was not eligible to contest the election but the Returning Officer (RO) approved the papers of Nawaz Sharif contrary to the facts. Hence, Nawaz Sharif's nomination papers should be rejected and declared ineligible.
Sindh High Court
In Karachi, appeals against the decisions of the returning officers have started in Sindh High Court.
Justice Arshad Hussain refused to hear the appeal of PTI candidate Firdous Shamim Naqvi, then the second bench heard the appeal of Firdous Shamim Naqvi wherein the court issued a notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Returning Officer (RO) for charge-notification. The appeal was filed on behalf of the PTI's Firdous Shamim and Mazhar Ali Advocate.
Firdous Shamim's nomination papers were rejected by the returning officer from NA-236 while independent candidate Mazhar Ali's nomination papers from PS 86 were rejected.
A case hearing of the appeal of independent candidate Mazhar Junejo from PS-86 against the decision of the Returning Officer (RO) and the court issued notices to the ECP and RO for January 4. The Returning Officer (RO) had rejected the nomination papers of Mazhar Junejo. Junejo prayed in his appeal that RO declared that his proposer did not belong to the concerned constituency.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Zain Qureshi have filed appeals against the decisions of the Returning Officers (ROs) NA 214 Umarkot.
PTI leader Halim Adil Shaikh filed appeals against the rejection of the papers in NA 238.
As per the ECP, 18,478 candidates submitted their nomination papers for the provincial assemblies
while the nomination papers of 2,216 candidates were rejected in four provinces, and the nomination papers of 16,262 candidates were approved for the seats of four provincial assemblies.
Islamabad High Court
The process of filing appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers has also started in Islamabad High Court (IHC).
IHC Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir of Islamabad High Court will hear the appeals for three seats of the National Assembly (NA) while IHC Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri will hear appeals related to minority seats. PTI lawyer Sohaib Shaheen filed appeals against the RO verdict to reject his nomination papers from all three constituencies of the capital.
As per the Election Commission of Pakistan official data, 7,473 candidates submitted nomination papers for National Assembly while ROs the nomination papers of 6,449 candidates and rejected 1,024.
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Peshawar High Court
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the third phase of submission of appeals regarding the rejection of nomination papers of candidates by the Returning Officers (RO) is underway.
Police have ensured strict security arrangements outside the PHC.
Sources familiar with the situation claimed that owing to the arrest of the candidates in the third phase of general elections, PTI lawyers made a strategy to file appeals under the Power of Attorney.
Five judges of Peshawar High Court (PHC) will perform duties as judges of the Election Tribunal.
Justice Shakeel Ahmed is appointed Election Tribunal Judge for Peshawar High Court. The judge of the Mingora Appellate Tribunal will be Justice Naeem Anwar. Justice Kamran Hayat Miyankhil will deal with the appeals in Abbottabad. The judge of the tribunal in DI Khan will be Justice Muhammad Faheem Wali
Bannu Bench Justice Fazal Subhan High Court will hear the appeals in the Bannu Tribunal.
Balochistan High Court
After the scrutiny of nomination papers across Balochistan, the stage of filing appeals has also started in the Balochistan High Court (BHC).
The candidates said that they are facing difficulties in getting the rejected order copy.
Two appellate tribunals headed by Justice Hashim Kakar and Justice Amir Nawaz Rana of the Balochistan High Court (BHC).
Pakistan Nazariati Party candidate Umar Munir told SAMAA TV that he felt disappointed with the nomination papers.
SAMAA TV reported that 2, 419 candidates submitted nomination papers for 16 national and 51 provincial general seats of Balochistan, papers of 1, 941 candidates were accepted and 478 were rejected.
Nominations on general seats across Pakistan
As per ECP, 25,951 candidates applied for general seats across Pakistan, including National Assembly and all four provincial assemblies, out of which 3,240 nominations were rejected and 22,711 accepted.
