Pervez Elahi allowed to contest elections

ISLAMABAD: Incarcerated former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has been allowed to contest the general elections being held on February 8, 2024.

Elahi had approached the Supreme Court on Wednesday, urging it to allow him to contest the February 8 general elections.

Pervez Elahi, who is currently an under-trial prisoner in the Adiala jail, filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging a decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) to uphold the rejection of his nomination papers. 

He had submitted his nomination papers in three National Assembly constituencies — NA-59, NA-64, and NA-69 — and four Punjab Assembly constituencies — PP-23, PP-34, PP-32, and PP-42. Various returning officers (ROs) had rejected his papers.

The relevant returning officer had rejected Elahi’s nomination papers because he had failed to provide a bank account exclusive to the constituency he was contesting, and he had listed the same account for use in another constituency. 

A three-judge bench led by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Athar Minallah heard the appeal of the former Punjab CM against rejection of his nomination papers.

Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday overturning the decision of the election tribunal allowed Pervez Elahi to contest the general elections from the PP-32 constituency of Gujarat district.

Another reason for rejecting Elahi’s nomination papers was that he had allegedly concealed his share in Lahore Modern Flour Mills (Private) Limited. 

Read Also: High voter turnout anticipated for February 8 elections: survey

More details to follow