News Analysis |
Appellate Tribunal (AT) has allowed former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to contest election from NA 53. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kyani conducted the hearing of the case against the rejection of nomination papers of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from NA-53 on Tuesday.
Former PM appeared personally before tribunal on this occasion and took the stance that Returning Officer (RO) has rejected my candidature contrary to facts. The court allowed Khaqan Abbasi to contest general elections from NA-53 while nullifying the decision of RO.
Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said after the decision of the tribunal that he had been elected 8 times from his constituency and had worked for the betterment of the constituency. There was not any answer better than that so I thought to answer the same, he stated.
According to sources in his constituency, his performance there is not worth appreciating and he will have to work hard to convince the voters to send him to the National Assembly again as their representative.
‘’The people from the constituency have to decide now’’, he added. Khaqan further said that it has been written in the verdict of RO that affidavit is not properly filled. The arrest of Qamar ul Islam who is candidate from PP-10 is unfortunate. This way many questions are being raised on the transparency of elections, Abbasi said.
‘’I have worked for my constituency and Pakistan. Nobody supported me but I continued to stay loyal with the party, I maintained my dignity and I never met with non-democratic forces ’’, he asserted.
Read more: Will former PM Abbasi contest against Imran Khan in NA-53?
Terming the arrest of Qamar-ul-Islam unfortunate he said that Qamar-ul-Islam was the candidate from PP-10 and NAB has arrested him. ‘’There is a letter of NAB attached to the nomination papers of Qamar-ul-Islam. What else it should be called other than pre-poll ragging’’, he underlined.
Talking about Nawaz Sharif, Khaqan said that Nawaz Sharif has appeared 100 times before NAB but justice should not only be done but it should manifestly be seen to be done so .
Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said after the decision of the tribunal that he had been elected 8 times from his constituency and had worked for the betterment of the constituency.
He further added that federation, provincial and local governments build roads in any constituency. ‘’Whoever sees any fault, they see it in PLM-N and I have said it earlier that justice is not manifestly seen to be done in Nawaz Sharif case ’’, he held.
Read more: PM Abbasi asks for a national dialogue on civil-military relations
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was not a well-known figure prior to him taking the top office in the country. His short stint as the PM of Pakistan will only be remembered as a loyalist of Sharif family rather than him being an efficient ruler. According to sources in his constituency, his performance there is not worth appreciating and he will have to work hard to convince the voters to send him to the National Assembly again as their representative.