RAWALPINDI: Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, the Presidential candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and his spouse, Qaisara Elahi, lost their appeals against the rejection of their nomination papers from two constituencies, according to an electoral tribunal.
Elahi and his wife challenged the returning officer’s (RO) ruling to reject their nomination papers from NA-59 and PP-23, deeming them “disqualified” to run in the general elections. The appeals hearing was presided over by Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz.
Law Officer Falak Sher and Assistant Director of Law Zulqarnain Haider of the election commission attended the hearing.
After determining that the objections to the nomination papers were valid, the panel supported RO’s decision to disqualify them.
A number of allegations were made against them, including asset concealment, failure to disclose shares in various companies, Qaisara’s foreign visit, failure to open separate bank accounts for expenses in both constituencies, document errors, and submission of documents without oath commission verification.
A superior court may still hear an appeal of the ruling.
The senior PTI politician has been detained since his initial arrest on June 1 in connection with a Rs70 million graft case involving the misappropriation of development funds intended for the Gujrat district.
After being freed on multiple occasions, he was promptly taken into custody again in a number of instances, including one involving money laundering and another involving claims of improper appointments in the Punjab Assembly.
