Musharraf's nomination papers rejected for second time

Islamabad, April 7: Pervez Musharraf's nomination papers for a parliamentary constituency in Pakistan's port city of Karachi were rejected today, two days after his candidature was disallowed in another seat in Punjab province.

Election officials rejected the former military ruler's papers for parliamentary constituency number 250 in Karachi. Jamaat-e-Islami leader Niyamatullah Khan, who intends to contest the May 11 polls from the same constituency, had yesterday objected to Musharraf's candidature on the ground that he had twice violated and subverted the Constitution.

The Returning Officer for a constituency at Kasur in Punjab had rejected Musharraf's nomination papers on Friday on the ground that the signature did not match the one on his national identity card.

Alawyer, Javid Kasuri, too had objected to Musharraf's candidature in Kasur on the ground that the former President had violated Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, which specify that candidates should have a "good character" and be "sagacious, righteous and non-profligate".

A man named Syed Tariq Ali has also objected to nomination papers filed by Musharraf for another parliamentary constituency in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry will take up on Monday a petition filed by former Rawalpindi High Court Bar Association president Taufiq Asif seeking Musharraf’s trial for treason.

Asif's petition was clubbed with two other applications seeking similar action against Musharraf, court officials said. At the hearing tomorrow, the bench will decide whether treason proceedings should be initiated against Musharraf, who recently returned to Pakistan after nearly four years in self-exile.

Musharraf had filed papers to contest the general election from four parliamentary seats in Karachi, Islamabad, Chitral and Kasur.

The PML-N has filed an application in the Election Commission seeking Musharraf’s disqualification on the ground that he is an accused in four cases, including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and the killing of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti in a 2006 military operation.

PTI