This Article is From Apr 16, 2013

Pakistan ex-president Pervez Musharraf ruled out of upcoming polls

Pakistan ex-president Pervez Musharraf ruled out of upcoming polls
Islamabad: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's efforts to seek election to Parliament from four seats suffered major setbacks on Tuesday as tribunals barred him from contesting the May 11 polls from all four constituencies.

General Musharraf had filed an appeal in the tribunal against the Returning Officer's decision but this was rejected by the judges.

The Returning Officer had rejected General Musharraf's nomination papers after receiving objections to his candidature on the ground that he had violated the Constitution by imposing emergency rule in 2007.

The development came a day after another election tribunal dismissed General Musharraf's appeal against the rejection of his nomination papers for a parliamentary constituency in the southern port city of Karachi.

General Musharraf had plans to contest polls in four parliamentary seats but his nomination papers were rejected by Returning Officers in Karachi, Kasur and Islamabad.

Though his papers were accepted in Chitral, several lawyers have filed objections against his candidature.

The former dictator has been facing numerous political and legal challenges since he returned to Pakistan last month after nearly four years in self-exile.

Pakistan will go to polls on May 11 to choose new national and provincial assemblies, marking the first democratic transition in the country's 66-year history.
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