IMrAn cleAred to contest FroM nA-95

ISLAMABAD — An appellate tribunal on Monday declared that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan is qualified to contest elections from Mianwali’s NA-95 constituency.

The tribunal set aside the returning officer’s (RO) decision to reject Imran’s papers. On June 19, the PTI chief’s papers for NA-95 Mianwali were rejected on technical grounds.

Following the RO’s decision, Imran filed an appeal in a Lahore High Court appellate tribunal last week, claiming that the reasons behind the RO’s decision to reject his nomination papers were contrary to facts.

In Monday’s hearing, the opposition argued that Imran had not declared all his assets in his nomination papers and the affidavit he submitted was not certified by an oath commissioner.

Imran kicked off his election campaign on Sunday by staging a major rally and promising sweeping changes in the country if his party wins. Pakistan will hold a general election on July 25 and Imran is hoping to achieve a years-long dream of becoming prime minister.

“I am launching my election campaign and weeks after, you will see emergence of a new Pakistan,” Imran told a massive rally in Mianwali, more than 200 kilometres southwest of Islamabad.—