The election tribunals on Wednesday approved candidature of PML-Q’s Faisal Saleh Hayat, Abid Imam, PML-N leader Ayaz Amir and PPPP president Mukhdoom Amin Fahim.

Accepting their appeals, Multan High Court election tribunal decided in favour of Faisal Saleh Hayat and Abid Imam. Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Faisal Saleh and his challenger Abid had filed nomination papers to contest elections from their home constituency NA-88 (Jhang).But Jhang Returning Officer had rejected their candidature over an FIR registered against them for stealing water. Besides, Abid Imam was also accused of Rs2.1 million bank defaults. However, his counsel presented clearance certificate before the two-member bench.

Journalist-turned PML-N politician Ayaz Amir has been allowed to contest elections after an election tribunal in Rawalpindi overturned the decision of the returning officer, who had rejected his nomination papers for NA-60, deeming one of his columns to be against the ideology of Pakistan.Speaking to media, Amir said his case was different from that of other candidates, adding that he had given his personal opinion in a column which was made the basis of his papers’ redetection.

PPPP president Mukhdoom Amin Fahim’s nomination was also accepted for NA-218. Earlier, his nomination was challenged for defaulting on electricity bills and not declaring the complete list of his assets. Abdul Razzak Memon, the petitioner, also claimed that owing to Fahim’s involvement in the NICL scam he is ineligible to contest the elections.Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court declared independent candidate Rae Jahangir Ali Kharl from Pindi Bhatian (PP-106) eligible for contesting polls. Kharl’s nomination papers had been rejected by the retuning officer.

PPP leader Senator Farooq H Naek on Wednesday filed an appeal with the election tribunal bench in Rawalpindi against the rejection of former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s nomination papers from NA-51 constituency. Returning Officer Khalid Arshad had rejected Raja’s nomination after Raja Irfan Aziz complained that the ex-PM had been misusing his discretionary funds in his constituency which amounted to pre-poll rigging.

Former dictator Pervez Musharraf also filed appeal against rejection of his nomination papers for NA-250 (Karachi), NA-139 (Kusur) and NA-48 (Islamabad). The ROs had rejected his papers on the basis of articles 62 and 63 of the constitution for his act of imposing emergency in the country in November 2007 in violation of the Constitution and for keeping judges of the superior judiciary under unlawful detention.

At least 100 out of 243 candidates have filed appeals in the High Court tribunals after their nomination papers were rejected by the returning officers. A two-member bench of Balochistan High Court Election Tribunal comprising Justice Naeem Afghan and Justice Muhammad Hashim is hearing appeals on rejection of nomination papers of 40 candidates.