Islamabad: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice has constituted a full bench for third time for hearing the petitions against candidature of Begum Kalsoom Nawaz, wife of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. According to a report in “The Nation” today, Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi and Justice Shahid Jameel are the other members. Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan and Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza had refused hearing of the case for personal reasons. Two benches have already been dissolved for personal reasons of above said two judges. By-election is due on Sept 17. However, no time frame is there for disposal of election petitions. PPP candidate Faisal Mir, Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Nabeel Shahzad of the Milli Muslim League (MML) had filed the petitions against the decisions of returning officer and an election tribunal whereby nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz were accepted.
The petitioners mainly contended that the RO and the tribunal set aside objections raised to the candidature of Ms Nawaz and accepted her nomination papers. They pleaded that neither the RO nor the tribunal looked into the details of the objections, including concealment of assets by the PML-N’s candidate. They alleged that the declaration by Ms Nawaz regarding her and her spouse’s assets were entirely false and misleading. One of the petitioners also said that Ms Nawaz concealed an FIR lodged on treason charges against her during Musharraf regime. He alleged that the PML-N’s candidate also concealed her assets and income in the nomination papers. He said the respondent candidate showed herself as a dependent of her spouse Nawaz Sharif, however, she was a share holder in many companies. He added that Ms Nawaz also failed to disclose the agreement and salary for a UAE Iqama (work permit) attached with her nomination papers. He said the candidate was also a defaulter of agriculture income tax and concealed details of her Murree residence. The petitioners asked the court to set aside the decisions of the RO and the election tribunal and reject the nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz for the by-poll.
