Imran Khan cleared for NA-53 but Abbasi’s candidature for NA-57 rejected

An election tribunal allowed on Wednesday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to contest election from Islamabad’s NA-53 constituency, while another has barred former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from contesting polls from Murree's NA-57 constituency.

An appellant tribunal of the Lahore High Court, chaired by Justice Ibadul Rehman Lodhi, rejected PM Abbasi's nomination papers after a petition was filed challenging the acceptance of his papers, local media reported.

PM Abbasi's nomination papers, which were submitted for Murree's NA-57 constituency, had been accepted by a Returning Officer (RO). After his nomination papers were accepted, petitioner Masood Ahmed Abbasi challenged the acceptance, stating that the former PM had tampered with the nomination papers. The RO who had accepted PM Abbasi's papers was later suspended.

Meanwhile, PTI chairman has been cleared by an appellate tribunal to contest the general elections from Islamabad’s NA-53 constituency. The respective RO had earlier rejected his nomination papers as Khan had failed to fill a cause that asked for a candidate's contributions to his previous constituencies.

Today, Khan appeared before the court to fill out the incomplete Clause N of the document which had been left blank. His lawyer Babar Awan also appeared and presented his arguments after which Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani cleared Khan to contest polls from Islamabad.

Khan will be facing off PM Abbasi and former member of his party Ayesha Gulalai at Islamabad's NA-53.