The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea challenging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry’s candidature from NA-67, Jhelum.
A two-member apex court bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed rejected the petition filed by Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party (PJDP) member Syed Fakhar Haider challenging the approval of Chaudhry’s nomination papers.
Last month, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had accepted Chaudhry’s plea and allowed him to contest the upcoming general election. The judge had remarked that the petitioner instead of filing a new appeal against Chaudhry should have challenged the approval of nomination papers.
Last month after being barred from contesting the election, the PTI leader had moved the LHC against an appellate election tribunal’s decision restraining him from contesting from NA-67.
Chaudhry’s nomination papers from NA-67 were rejected during a hearing of an appeal filed by PJDP’s Fakhar Abbas Kazmi against the acceptance of the PTI leader’s nomination papers by the returning officer.\ Kazmi had objected, saying that Chaudhry had not paid agriculture tax.
Published in Daily Times, July 18th 2018.
