The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Monday allowed Nawab Aali Bugti, a grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, to contest the July 25 general elections.

The returning officer (RO) in Dera Bugti had rejected Aali Bugti’s nomination papers for PB-10 Dera Bugti saying his opponents had alleged that the candidate had failed to disclose his assets. He was later disqualified by the appellate election tribunal.

Nawab Aali Bugti. — Youtube screengrab

A divisional bench of the BHC, comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Nazeer Langove, today set aside the judgements of the appellate tribunal and RO, clearing Aali Bugti to contest the poll.

Former home minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti had challenged the nomination papers of Aali Bugti, who had challenged the tribunal and RO's decisions in the high court.

Disqualification of PPP Balochistan president upheld

The same divisional bench of the BHC also upheld the disqualification of PPP's provincial president, who was vying for the PB-31 seat in Quetta.

Announcing its reserved decision on the petition, the bench ruled that Ali Madad Jattak, the PPP's Balochistan chief, cannot be allowed to contest the elections.

Jattak was earlier disqualified by appellate tribunal of the BHC and RO for being convicted in a fake degree case. Jattak had then challenged the judgements of the tribunal and the RO.

The Constitution bars convicts in certain cases from contesting elections unless a period of five years has lapsed since their release.

The court also reserved judgement with regard to the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Balochistan chief Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind. The appellate tribunal and RO had rejected Rind's nomination papers for submitting a fake degree and being nominated in several first information reports (FIRs) in murder and kidnapping cases.