LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday rejected petitions challenging acceptance of PML-N candidate Begum Kulsoom Nawaz nomination papers for the NA-120 by-election.
The three-judge bench of LHC headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan and includes Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi and Justice Shahid Jamil Khan announced its verdicts after hearing arguments of counsels of petitioners and respondents.
The decision to rejects the set of petition challenging the decision to accept Kulsoom Nawaz nomination papers was given with majority.
Two judges of the bench threw out the petitions while the other members dissented the majority decision.
This was the third bench constituted by the Chief Jsutice LHC to hear the petitions filed by PPP candidate Amir Mir against the acceptance of nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz after two previous benches were dissolved following refusal of members to hear the case.
PPP candidate Faisal Mir, Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Nabeel Shahzad of the Milli Muslim League (MML) had filed the petitions against the decisions of returning officer and an election tribunal whereby nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz were accepted.
The petitioners have sought the court to overturn the Election Tribunal decision to reject their appeal against Returning Officer decision to accept the nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz.
Kulsoom Nawaz is PML-N candidate for NA-120 by-election scheduled for September 17, 2017.
The seat had fallen vacant following the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif by Supreme Court of Pakistan in Panamagate case.
Addressing the media, PML-N Senator Asif Kirmani said there was no discrepancy in Kulsoom’s nomination papers and assets.
“All the respondents failed to provide any evidence,” he added.
INP