LHC allowed Shahid Khaqan to contest election from NA-57

The Lahore High Court on Friday allowed former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to contest the upcoming elections from NA-57 in Murree.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi, suspended the appellate tribunal’s judgment and allowed Abbasi’s candidature.

Yesterday, the bench heard Abbasi’s appeal against the election tribunal’s decision of disqualifying the former premier for life for “concealing facts and withholding information”.
Abbasi challenges election tribunal verdict disqualifying him for life

The tribunal’s decision read that Abbasi doesn’t fulfill requirements under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution. The court also sent a notice to the returning officer who rejected the nomination papers.

Abbasi’s appeal, against the verdict authored by Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi, filed in LHC by Abbasi’s counsel Khawaja Tariq Rahim, asserts that the appellate tribunal’s jurisdiction only extended to approving or rejecting returning officer’s stance. “It cannot disqualify a candidate for life,” stresses the petition.

The former premier had prayed to the high court to set aside the verdict in NA-57 (Murree) by Justice Lodhi.