UNS: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday allowed former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Parvez Elahi to contest election scheduled to be held on Feb 8.
The PTI leader, who was facing incarceration for his alleged involvement in multiple cases, had earlier approached the apex court to allow him to contest the upcoming polls while challenging the verdict of the Lahore High Court (LHC). The LHC had upheld the Election Tribunal’s decision of rejecting his nomination papers.
Elahi – the veteran politician – has been allowed to contest for the provincial assembly seat in his home constituency of Gujrat PP-32.
The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday declared null and void the decision of election tribunal which rejected his nomination papers.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Athar Minallah heard Elahi’s plea against the rejection of his nomination papers.
Elahi’s counsel Ihsan Khokhar said that they don’t want to delay the elections and sought permission for his client to contest from PP- 32 Gujrat.
The court ruled during the hearing that the voters cannot be deprived of their right to vote.
“The job of Returning Officer is to facilitate and not to create hindrances in the elections. The election is all about the involvement of people and not their exclusion,” the court remarked.
The court allowed his appeal and directed the concerned authorities to print his name and election symbol on the ballot paper.
However, the veteran politician, who is currently detained in Adiala Jail, has withdrawn from all other constituencies and now he would only go for PP-32.
It merits mention here that Elahi was earlier a candidate from six National Assembly and Punjab Assembly seats from Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, and Talagang.
The constituencies include NA-59, NA-64, and NA-69 of National Assembly and PP-23, PP-32, and PP-34 of Punjab Assembly.
