A full bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday rejected all petitions challenging candidature of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz for by-election in NA-120. Faisal Mir of PPP, Ishtiaq Chaudhry of PAT and Sheikh Yaqoob of Milli Muslim League (MML) had challenged decision of Returning Officer and Election Tribunal regarding acceptance of nomination papers of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.
The counsel of MML Raja Abdul Rehman contended that Begum Kulsoom Nawaz did not mention details of her assets and shares in different companies. He said that Kulsoom Nawaz annexed some documents with her nomination papers but the required information about her assets and shares as well as information about her income was missing.
At this, Justice Shahid Jamil Khan asked him whether they filed objection on it before the Returning Officer. On it, the petitioner's counsel replied that yes they filed objection but the respondent lady did not mention complete details. On it, Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi remarked "Perhaps they themselves (Begum Kulsoom) don't know about the details."
The other petitioner counsels said that the RO rejected their petitions against the candidature of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz; however, he did not give any reason in his decision. At least, the learned RO should have mentioned the reasons that why these petitions were rejected. A law officer Ahmad Nasir appeared before the bench and petitioner counsels raised objection that the federation was not party in the case and nor it was required in it.
However, the court commented that surely it would be any law officer when the state is party in the case. The law officer opposed the petitions and contended that these were not maintainable. The law officer said that decisions of RO and Election Tribunal were correct. He questioned the maintainability of the petitions saying that the high court cannot interfere into the jurisdiction of the election tribunal.
However, when the court asked the law officer why the RO did not give any reason in his decision, the law officer said it was not necessary for the RO to give reasons when he accepted nomination papers. Advocate Amjad Pervez, the counsel of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, argued that RO had given adequate time but the petitioners could not give any solid information against Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. He said the technicalities are to be avoided.