KARACHI – The nomination papers filed by MQM-Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar were rejected by the relevant Returning Officer (RO) for NA-245 on Tuesday.
The decision was announced by RO citing that the politician was absconding in two cases, which were not mentioned in the nomination papers; one of the cases pertains to the anti-Pakistan speech of Altaf Hussain on August 22.
According to a report submitted by a senior police officer, arrest warrants had been issued against Farooq Sattar.
On the other hand, the embattled Sattar claimed that he was unaware of the cases filed against him; he reserves the right to file an appeal against the decision.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan is concluding the scrutiny of nomination papers today.
According to the commission, a total of 21,482 nomination papers have been filed across the country for national and provincial assemblies; at least 6,063 candidates will run the race for 342 seats of the National Assembly, while 15,419 aspirants have filed nomination papers for the seats of the provincial assemblies.
ECP Spokesperson Altaf Khan has clarified that the time for scrutiny of nomination papers will not be extended adding that no such proposal is under consideration.
According to the election schedule, appeals against rejection or acceptance of nomination papers can be filed by June 22 and the decision on the appeals will be made by June 27.
