LHC allows Ishaq Dar, Abdul Karim to contest Senate polls

LAHORE: An appellate tribunal of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday allowed former finance minister Ishaq Dar to contest Senate polls.

The tribunal comprising Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan passed the orders while allowing an appeal filed by Ishaq Dar against rejection of his nomination papers for the Senate polls.

As the proceedings began, Election Commission of Pakistan's Director Legal appeared before the tribunal in response to the court notices and submitted record of the matter. He submitted that the returning officer rejected the nomination papers of Ishaq Dar after scrutiny. He further contended that returning officer decision was based on facts and pleaded with the court to dismiss the appeal.

However, Dar's counsel submitted that the returning officer failed to hold proper scrutiny of the nomination papers required under the Representation of Peoples Act 1976.

He submitted that legal formalities had not been fulfilled by the returning officer before passing the impugned decision. He pleaded with the tribunal to set aside the returning officer decision and accept his client's nomination papers.

The tribunal, after hearing arguments of parties and pursuing record, allowed Ishaq Dar to contest the polls while setting aside the returning officer's decision.

Meanwhile, the tribunal also allowed PML-N candidate Hafiz Abdul Karim to contest the Senate polls while allowing his appeal challenging returning officer's decision.

Hafiz Karim had challenged rejection of his nomination papers saying that the returning officer did not fulfill the legal formalities. He pleaded with the court to set aside the returning officer decision and accept his papers for Senate polls.