Pakistan: Imran Khan challenges rejection of his nomination papers from Lahore, Mianwali

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 4 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday challenged the rejection of his nomination papers from NA-122 (Lahore) and NA-89 (Mianwali) in the election tribunals, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
Imran Khan filed the appeal through advocate Uzair Bhandari. The appeal stated that the returning officer (RO) of NA-122 had rejected the nomination papers of the appellant unlawfully and against the facts.
It said the RO erred by responding on the Islamabad sessions court's decision regarding the conviction of the appellant in the Toshakhana gifts case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The appeal stated that the ECP was not a court and the conviction in the Toshakhana case did not amount to disqualification under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. It said that the Islamabad High Court had suspended the sentence of the appellant.
As per the appeal, the proposer and seconder of the appellant were voters of the same constituency. However, the RO did not consider the documentary evidence that was given to him in this regard, Dawn reported.
Through the appeal, Imran Khan requested the tribunal to set aside the RO's decision and accept his nomination papers from NA-122 for the elections set to be held on February 8.
In its decision, the RO had stated that the judgement of the sessions court established the conviction of Imran Khan in case related to the offence of moral turpitude, according to Dawn report.
Separately, PTI founder Imran Khan filed an appeal in the Rawalpindi tribunal stating that RO Mohammad Kafaitullah of NA-89 had rejected nomination papers of the appellant. Kaifatullah rejected Imran Khan's nomination papers after objectors Khuram Hameed Khan and Khalilur Rehman Khan mentioned his conviction in the Toshakhana gifts case and an outstanding amount of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 3.68 million he had to pay to the Social Security Department him for being chairman of Namal University.
The appeal stated that the department had never issued a notice to the university in this regard. The appeal urged the election tribunal, headed by Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz of the Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi bench, to set aside the RO's rejection and allow Imran Khan to contest the polls from NA-89. The judge will hear the appeal on Thursday.
Despite being disqualified from contesting the upcoming general elections in Pakistan, Imran Khan on December 29 submitted his nomination papers from his home constituency in Mianwali, Geo News reported.
Khan had his nomination papers submitted for the National Assembly's NA-89 constituency. PTI leader Umar Bodla appeared on the former prime minister's behalf. The PTI founder has been at the centre of a political crisis since he was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.
The cricketer-turned-politician was sent to jail for three years on August 5 after being found guilty of selling state gifts during his 2018-22 tenure as prime minister--the charges he denies, Geo News reported.
Khan is seeking to overturn that conviction, which has barred him from contesting elections for five years. He filed a plea in the Islamabad High Court. However, it was rejected and the party later moved to the Supreme Court.