LHC dismisses petition against Kulsoom Nawaz's candidature for NA-120

LAHORE: Two of three Lahore High Court (LHC) judges hearing pleas against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate in the NA-120 by-poll, Kulsoom Nawaz, have dismissed petitions against her candidature.  

The three-judge bench was headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan and includes Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi and Justice Shahid Jamil Khan.

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. 

On Monday, the LHC had issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the PML-N candidate on three identical petitions challenging her candidature.

The petition was filed by Pakistan Peoples Party's NA-120 candidate Faisal Mir, Pakistan Awami Tehreek's Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry and Milli Muslim League's Nabeel Shahzad against the decisions of the NA-120 returning officer and the election tribunal which had rejected objections against her nomination papers.

The petitioners' counsel had argued that the returning officer and the election tribunal brushed aside the objections against Kulsoom's candidature.

They had claimed that the declaration filed by the PML-N candidate regarding her and her spouse’s assets was entirely false and misleading.

The petitioners had contended further that Kulsoom failed to disclose an Iqama [UAE work permit] in her nomination papers. 

The petitioners had asked the court to dismiss the decisions of the returning officer and election tribunal and reject Kulsoom's nomination papers.

Earlier, two benches formed to hear the petitions had been dissolved after several members recused themselves from the case over 'personal reasons'.

A tough contest is expected between Kulsoom and Dr Yasmin Rashid, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate, on September 17.