ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to initiate the examination of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers on Tuesday, with the party’s legal team gearing up for potential objections.
Nawaz Sharif, has submitted his candidacy for the Lahore and Mansehra constituencies, with the scrutiny of these documents scheduled for today. The party has assigned its legal representatives to prepare for possible challenges to Sharif’s submission.
Reliable sources indicated to The News on Monday that the legal teams of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had devised strategies to contest the nomination papers based on the Supreme Court’s April 12, 2018 ruling under Article 62 (1) (F). This verdict, which unanimously disqualified Nawaz Sharif for life under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution, was issued by all five judges of the bench.
Additionally, insiders revealed that PML-N intends to challenge PTI founder Imran Khan’s nomination papers later in the week, citing the ECP’s previous declaration disqualifying him from contesting elections for five years under the relevant constitutional article.
Nawaz Sharif, who returned to Pakistan in October following a four-year self-imposed exile, has been actively leading the party’s election campaign, aiming for a fourth term as the country’s chief executive.
Despite having his convictions in the Avenfield and Al Azizia references overturned by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) upon his return, Nawaz Sharif requires the removal of a lifelong ban on holding public office, as imposed by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers Case, to be eligible to participate in the upcoming polls.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
