Ex-PM Khaqan disqualified under Article 62(1)(f)

The election tribunal Wednesday disqualified ex-Premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for 'concealing facts and withholding information from voters' in his nomination forms submitted for NA-57, Murree.
In its written verdict, the tribunal said that Abbasi is not an honest and Amin (truthful) person and after such declaration, he is declared not a qualified person "to be elected or chosen as a Member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) within the meaning of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973."
The verdict said that the former premier was found guilty of concealment of facts and withholding of the complete information from his voters. The verdict was announced by head of the tribunal Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi. The tribunal reserved the verdict on an appeal against the acceptance of Abbasi's nomination papers by the returning officer on Monday last and announced it on Wednesday.
Petitioner Masood Ahmed Abbasi had challenged Abbasi's candidature, alleging that the candidate during his tenure as the premier, had obtained Rs 1 million from the national kitty and given the amount to his son to perform Umrah.
He also accused Abbasi of damaging national security by supporting a controversial interview given by Nawaz Sharif to a local newspaper.
Among other accusations, the petitioner had alleged that Abbasi did not provide correct details of his assets. He further said that the former premier had not given any statement in support of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist imprisoned in the US on terrorism charges.
Abbasi's counsel informed the tribunal that his client had declared all of his assets in the documents submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan. "Declared assets in both of my client's nomination papers are the same," he said, adding that Abbasi had listed his shares in an airline in both the documents.
The election tribunal has also disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates including Fawad Chaudhry from Jhelum and Sardar Ghulam Abbas from Chakwal for hiding asset details. Meanwhile, Chairman PTI Imran Khan has been allowed to contest election from NA-53, Islamabad-II, after submitting all the required details with the election tribunal.
The appellate tribunal had earlier suspended the returning officer for not correctly vetting Abbasi's nomination papers. The election tribunals were to decide on the appeals until June 27 after which the revised list of the candidates will be shared on June 28. Last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 29 whereas the date for allocation of electoral symbols and publication of the final list of contesting candidates is June 30.