Nawaz Sharif cleared to contest elections from NA-15 Mansehra

• PTI leader Azam Khan Swati, two others raised objections.
• "Nawaz disqualified for holding any public office," says PTI.
• Nawaz declared eligible to contest elections, says counsel. 

MANSEHRA: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has been given a clean chit to contest elections from NA-15 (Mansehra-II) constituency despite objection raised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, The News reported on Friday.

Returning officer (RO) Hajrah Sami on Thursday ruled out all objections raised by PTI over Nawaz’s eligibility to contest the February 8 general elections and declared his nomination papers valid as per Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rules.

“The scrutiny process of nomination papers of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif has been completed and all objections raised by PTI leader Azam Khan Swati, and two others have been set aside, and he has been declared eligible to contest elections from here,” Jahangir Jadoon, the legal advisor to Nawaz Sharif, told reporters outside the RO offices.

Hajrah considered the objections raised by PTI senator Azam Khan Swati, Shahid Rafique and Zakria Tariq in the presence of PML-N and PTI lawyers and leaders and gave a clean chit to Nawaz to contest the elections from NA-15 Mansehra-II.

A PTI lawyers panel led by Waqar Khan Jehangira and Amir Shah and PML-N led by Jadoon made arguments in the case for about two hours.

“Nawaz Sharif is disqualified for holding any public office or contesting general elections by Supreme Court’s five-member bench so that he is not eligible to run in Feb 8, general elections from NA-15,” PTI’s counsel Waqar Khan Jehangiri told the RO during the proceedings.

He said that Nawaz was dishonest and held corrupt by the apex court under sections 62(I) and (F) of the country’s constitution.

Later, talking to media persons outside the RO Office, Nawaz's legal advisor Jahangir Jadoon asked how could Swati show up at local courts here when he was out of the country and sign the power of attorney and other documents.

“We have taken up this forgery with the RO concerned and will take this issue to the court of law as the notary public confirmed Swati’s presence here in court premises at about 9 am,” he said.

Jadoon said they would also challenge Swati’s nomination papers on December 30 (Saturday). 

“How an absconder shows up on court premises and signs legal documents and power of attorney as he (Swati) according to our information has fled abroad,” he said.