SC to take up PTI activist Sanam Javed’s appeal tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has set the date for Friday the hearing of the appeals filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social media activist Sanam Javed and former senator Shaukat Mahmood Basra, who have challenged the rejection of their nomination papers for the upcoming general elections.

Sanam Javed had submitted her nomination papers from NA-119 and PP-150 in Lahore, while Shaukat Mahmood had applied from NA-163 in Multan. However, their papers were rejected by the returning officers on various grounds. They had appealed to the election tribunal and the Lahore High Court, but their appeals were dismissed.

The two PTI leaders then approached the Supreme Court, seeking relief and permission to contest the elections.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Muneeb Akhtar, will hear their appeals on Friday (tomorrow).

The bench will examine the legal and factual aspects of the cases and decide whether the rejection of the nomination papers was justified or not.

Sanam Javed and Shaukat Mahmood are among the prominent PTI candidates who have faced difficulties in getting their nomination papers accepted.

Sanam Javed is a well-known social media activist who has been been arrested several times on charges of sedition and cybercrime.

Shaukat Mahmood is a former senator and a close aide to PTI founder Imran Khan. He had resigned from the Senate and the PTI last month over differences with the party policy, but later rejoined the party and decided to contest the elections.

Both of them have claimed that they are being victimized by the the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for their political affiliation and stance. They have expressed hope that the Supreme Court will provide them justice and allow them to participate in the democratic process.