PML-N candidate disqualified by Lahore High Court

Islamabad - The court rejected Siddique Baloch's nomination papers for being a tax-evader.

The Lahore High Court (LHC), Multan Registry, has disqualified Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Siddique Baloch from contesting the high-profile NA-154 by-election in Lodhran against senior PTI leader Jehangir Tareen.
The court rejected Baloch's nomination papers for being a tax-evader. The polls will be held on December 23.
A two-member LHC bench, comprising Justice Atir Mehmood and Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi, declared that Siddique Baloch's actual income was Rs4.6 million but he declared only Rs1.3 million in his nomination papers. He also did not submit his tax returns for the year 2015.
An independent candidate Iffat Soomro had filed a petition in the court. She submitted that Siddique Baloch had not revealed his actual assets and Siddique Baloch should be declared ineligible for filing false statement about his wealth.
Iffat Soomro's lawyer argued that by hiding the details of his assets, Siddique Baloch had committed a breach of articles 62 & 63.
After hearing arguments, the court cancelled Siddique Baloch's nomination papers and declared him ineligible for election.- news@khaleejtimes.com
Siddique Baloch had won the NA-154 seat of Lodhran during the 2013 general election as an independent candidate. Later, he joined the PML-N.
However, on August 26 an election tribunal disqualified Baloch and ordered re-election on a petition filed by PTI leader Jehangir Tareen. Baloch appealed against the verdict in the Supreme Court which partly accepted the petition removing his disqualification but directed that by-election be held on December 23.
The by-poll has assumed special significance because of Jehangir Tareen's top position in the PTI as general secretary. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Lodhran last month, apparently to bolster Baloch's re-election bid and announced several development projects for the area and a special package of Rs2.5 billion. - news@khaleejtimes.com

• Pakistan