LAHORE: The returning officer (RO) for NA-127 reserved a decision on nomination papers of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, here on Thursday.
The RO heard detailed arguments from both sides and granted Bilawal Bhutto’s counsel time for submitting a written reply until tomorrow [Friday].
Senior Advocate Irfan Qadir and Iftikhar Shahid represented Bilawal during the scrutiny process whereas the PPP leaders Faisal Mir and Shahida Jabeen were also in attendance.
A citizen, Muhammad Ayaz, had filed an objection against Bilawal Bhutto’s nomination papers, stating that Bilawal Bhutto, in his papers for NA-127, pledged allegiance to Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), whereas he himself was chairman of the PPP. He said that both were distinct political parties with separate election symbols. Were also different. He further submitted that Bilawal Bhutto was the chairman of PPP, and Asif Zardari was the president of PPPP.
He argued that as per the Election Act 2017, a perso
n could be a member of one party at a time. The nomination papers of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as a candidate of PPPP were being filed against the Election Act, he added.