- A returning officer has rejected the objections raised by the PTI on Yusuf Raza Gilani’s candidacy for the Senate polls
- PTI chief Fareed Rehman had challenged Gilani’s nomination below articles 62, 63
- Gilani says he can’t be disqualified for circumstances being heard in opposition to him
ISLAMABAD: The Election Fee of Pakistan rejected on Thursday an objection raised by the PTI and accepted the nomination papers of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani for the Senate polls.
He’s Pakistan Democratic Motion’s joint candidate for the Senate seat from Islamabad.
Returning officer (RO) Zafar Iqbal introduced the decision on Thursday. It was earlier reserved after arguments concluded by each events.
PTI chief Fareed Rehman had challenged the candidacy of Gilani, claiming the previous premier “hid facts” in his nomination papers.
Throughout a listening to on Wednesday, the previous prime minister’s lawyer had contended his shopper had accomplished the sentence given to him by the Supreme Courtroom. He mentioned Gilani was then capable of contest the election.
“Yusuf Raza Gilani’s disqualification ended in 2017,” the lawyer advised the ECP.
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Rehman’s lawyer, nonetheless, argued that the previous prime minister doesn’t meet the standards as outlined by articles 62 and 63.
He requested the PPP chief’s nomination papers be rejected as NAB was listening to the Toshakhana reference in opposition to him. He alleged that the previous premier “abused” his powers as a PM.
“Violation of PM’s oath [leads to] lifelong disqualification,” mentioned the PTI lawyer.
Gilani’s lawyer intervened and mentioned the case in opposition to his shopper was filed to hold out a media trial. He added that the PTI lawyer was solely giving references of circumstances that had been below trial.
He advised the RO that if a case is below trial, it doesn’t imply Gilani’s nomination papers must be rejected.
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The lawyer additionally advised the RO that the sentence given to Gilani lasted lower than 5 minutes. He quipped that he didn’t know that the PTI chief was “arguing the case on behalf of the National Accountability Bureau”.
The PDM had nominated Gilani as its consensus candidate from Islamabad. He was proposed as a candidate by former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and was seconded by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Gilani, who was the prime minister from 2008 until 2012, was eliminated after he was convicted by the SC.
The SC had handed down a symbolic punishment lasting lower than a minute to Gilani and convicted the previous premier for contempt of court docket.