Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Supreme Court granted approval on Friday to the appeals of its candidates, including president Parvez Elahi, enabling them to participate in the upcoming elections scheduled for February 8. The apex court upheld appeals from PTI candidates Umer Aslam and Major (retd) Tahir Sadiq, alongside Elahi, contesting the decisions of returning officers who had previously rejected their nomination papers across various constituencies.
Among the approved appeals, Parvez Elahi has been granted permission to vie for a seat in the PP-32 constituency of Gujarat district. The former Punjab chief minister had contested the Election Tribunal’s decision to reject his nomination papers, which was upheld by the Lahore High Court (LHC). Seeking legal recourse, Elahi filed a petition under Article 185(3) of the Constitution, challenging the LHC verdict and seeking leave to appeal in the Supreme Court.
Advocate Faisal Siddiqui represented Elahi during the legal proceedings, highlighting discrepancies in objections raised by rival candidates and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Siddiqui emphasized the urgency of the matter, urging the court to allow Elahi’s participation in the elections without delay.
In response, Justice Minallah underscored the importance of upholding voters’ rights and ensuring a fair election process, criticizing the obstructive actions of returning officers. Justice Shah echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing inclusivity in the electoral process and the need for valid reasons to bar candidates from contesting elections.
Following deliberations, the Supreme Court deemed the rejection of Elahi’s nomination papers from the PP-32 constituency invalid, granting him the opportunity to run for the Gujarat provincial assembly seat. Elahi subsequently withdrew appeals pertaining to nomination paper rejections in other constituencies, including two NA seats.
The objections raised against Elahi’s nomination papers ranged from asset concealment to technical errors in documents. Despite facing legal challenges, Elahi’s approval to contest elections marks a significant development amid ongoing legal battles and accusations.
In addition to Elahi, PTI candidates Major (retd) Tahir Sadiq and Umer Aslam Awan received approval from the apex court to contest elections from NA-49 (Attock) and NA-87 (Khushab) constituencies, respectively.
