LAHORE: An election tribunal (ET) on Monday dismissed appeals filed by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenging the acceptance of Kusloom Nawaz’s nomination papers for NA-120 by-polls scheduled to be held in September The tribunal comprising Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh and Justice Shahid Waheed rejected the appeals by terming them non-maintainable. PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid, her covering candidate Andleeb Abbas, Faisal Mir of the PPP and PAT’s candidate Ishtiaq Ahmed Chaudhry had filed the appeals against the acceptance of Kusloom Nawaz’s nomination papers. During the hearing, appellate counsel alleged that Kulsoom Nawaz had concealed her assets and income in the nomination papers. He stated that Kulsoom Nawaz had failed to disclose the agreement for a United Arab Emirates iqama (work permit) attached with her nomination papers. He stated that the work permit meant Kulsoom Nawaz had dual nationality and as such was not eligible to contest the by-election. He stated that after the Panama Papers verdict by the Supreme Court it was necessary for Kulsoom Nawaz to disclose her salary as asset. He stated that a case was also lodged against the PML-N’s candidate in 2000 but she did not mention it in her nomination papers. He alleged that Kulsoom Nawaz was also a defaulter of agriculture income tax and had also concealed details of her Murree residence. He stated that Kulsoom Nawaz could not contest by-election on the ticket of PML-N, claiming that registration of the party stood cancelled after disqualification of its head Nawaz Sharif. He requested the tribunal to set aside the decision of the RO and reject nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz. However, the counsel failed to satisfy the tribunal that UAE iqma (work permit) submitted by Kulsoom Nawaz was equal to acquiring citizenship. The tribunal said that her iqama was expired in 2015. The tribunal further rejected the plea that Kulsoom Nawaz was not eligible to contest by-election on the ticket of the PML-N since its president, Nawaz Sharif, had been disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the Panama Papers case. The tribunal also declined to entertain another argument against the acceptance of Kulsoom Nawaz’s nomination papers by the returning officer in her absence during the scrutiny process. The tribunal observed that there was no such bar as law did provide an option of representation through the power of attorney. Published in Daily Times, August 22nd 2017.