ISLAMABAD: Former finance minister Ishaq Dar on Monday withdrew his nomination papers submitted for the general seat in the upcoming Senate election. It may be noted that Ishaq Dar was to contest the Senate polls on two seats, a general seat and a technocrat seat, however; he will now only contest for the remaining one. Previously, the LHC’s appellate tribunal had permitted Ishaq Dar to contest Senate election after he moved the court against the rejection of his nomination papers by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had challenged the nomination papers of Dar, pointing out that Dar was declared an absconder in the corruption reference against him heard by an accountability court. The ECP had ruled that Dar was ineligible to contest the Senate elections since there was a pending corruption case against him in the accountability court. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had nominated Ishaq Dar as its Senate candidate for another three-year term as nine of the PML-N senators are due to retire next month after completing their terms. At least 52 Senators will retire next month ahead of the Senate election scheduled for March 3. The PML-N is likely to gain an overwhelming majority in the Upper House of parliament. Published in Daily Times, February 20th 2018.