ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf President and former Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi to contest general elections and instructed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to include his name in ballot papers.
The former chief minister, currently detained at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, submitted his nomination papers at three National Assembly—NA-59, NA-64, and NA-69—and four Punjab Assembly—PP-23, PP-34, PP-32, and PP-42—constituencies. However, various returning officers (ROs) rejected his papers.
He challenged the ROs’ decision at an election tribunal, which upheld the ROs’ verdict. Later, Elahi moved the Lahore High Court (LHC), whose three-member bench on January 13 upheld the tribunal order.
On Thursday, he knocked at the door of the apex court seeking the decision of the election tribunal and LHC null and void.
The three members bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah heard the Parvez Elahi plea and set aside the verdict of Lahore High Court for rejecting the nomination papers of the petitioner and allowed him to contest the election.
One objection to his candidacy, he noted, was that he has shares in Lahore Modern Flour Mills. This allegation is baseless as no bank account has been opened in the name of the mills.
He said he never purchased shares in this inactive flour mill, which cannot be described as an asset. Based on the ownership of this flour mill, he cannot be prevented from participating in the election.
