PESHAWAR, Jan 05 (APP): Election Tribunal Judge Justice Shakeel Ahmed on Friday reserved a decision on the appeal of former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister Atif Khan against the rejection of his nomination papers by the Returning Officer.
During a hearing on the appeal of the former provincial minister the judge remarked that the people were the best judges in elections and they could elect whomever they wanted.
He said that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court had already made it clear that no one could be “Sadiq” and “Ameen” except Hazrat Muhammad (SWT).
He questioned the lawyer of the Election Commission whether the nomination paper of an absconder could be rejected.
The EC lawyer referred to a judgment of Sindh High Court and another of the Balochistan High Court.
The petitioner’s lawyer contended that Atif Khan’s papers were rejected due to an FIR and in the light of a decision of the Balochistan High Court.
He argued that the Balochistan High Court’s decision applied to local body election candidates and not to the candidates of national and provincial assemblies. The judge, Justice Shakeel Ahmed reserved his decision after hearing both sides.
In the meanwhile the Election Tribunal accepted the appeals of PTI candidates Mujahid Ali Khan from NA-21 Mardan, Shafiullah Jan from PK 92 Kohat, Ameer Farzand from PK 56 Mardan, Abdul Salam Afridi from NA 22 and PK 58 Mardan and Adnan Khan from PK 54 Mardan.