Daily Times

LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday rejected former finance minister and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar’s nomination papers for the upcoming Senate elections.

During the scrutiny process, the returning officer accepted arguments of the lawyer of PTI-backed Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed in which he had alleged that Dar did not provide authentic documents about his assets while he has also been declared absconder by a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court in a graft case. The returning officer termed Ishaq Dar as constitutionally not ‘honest’ and ‘trustworthy’ after opponent’s counsel raised the issue of his fake signatures on the nomination papers.

It is worth mentioning here that former finance minister is in London since last October while a NAB court has declared him absconder in a corruption reference.

The returning officer ruled that Dar was ineligible to participate in the upcoming Senate elections as a corruption case against him was still pending before the NAB court.

Furthermore, Ishaq Dar also failed to file his certified declaration of assets along with the nomination papers despite he was given time by the ECP in this regard.

Following rejection of the nomination papers by the returning officer, the ruling PML-N as well as legal team of Ishaq Dar confirmed that they would file an appeal against the decision.

PTI’s Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, who is also leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly, while talking to Daily Times said that he would follow Dar if he tried to file an appeal against the decision of the returning officer.

Meanwhile, PTI’s candidate for general seat from Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar has started his campaign and contacted several legislators to secure required 47 votes in the Punjab Assembly for Senate elections scheduled on March 03.

After appearing before the returning officer for scrutiny of his nomination papers, Ch Sarwar, who is also former governor of Punjab province, told media that horse trading in the Senate elections was out of question. “Horse trading is the murder of democracy and principles politics,” he added.

Ch Sarwar said he believed in democratic and constitutional means to win the election, adding that he was in contact with all the opposition members. “Hopefully, all believers of democracy will cast vote in my favour,” he hoped.

Published in Daily Times, February 13^th 2018.