A Pakistani election tribunal on Monday dismissed two appeals seeking the rejection of former premier Benazir Bhutto's nomination papers for the upcoming parliamentary polls, paving the way for her to contest the January election that will restore democratic rule.
PML-Q candidate Babu Ghulam Sarwar, who filed nominations from the same parliamentary constituency in Larkana as Bhutto, had sought the disqualification of the Pakistan People's Party chairperson on the grounds that she and her husband were convicted by a court in Rawalpindi in graft cases.
Rattodero Saifullah Abro, a PML-Q candidate who had filed nomination in another parliamentary seat in Larkana that is also being contested by Bhutto, sought her disqualification on similar grounds. Abro also pointed out that the nominations of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz were rejected for similar reasons.
The two-judge tribunal rejected both appeals, paving the way for Bhutto to contest the polls from both constituencies in Larkana. Bhutto has also filed nominations for a seat reserved for women in Karachi.
In Islamabad, the Election Commission dismissed an objection by former premier Nawaz Sharif's PML-N against the use of the Pakistan Muslim League nomenclature by the party led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
A poll panel spokesman said the PML-N's objection merits no consideration.
The spokesman said that the Election Commission had allowed an application by the leaders of PML-Zia, PML-Junejo, PML-Jinnah, PML-Functional and Sindh Democratic Alliance for merging with the PML-Q under the new name of Pakistan Muslim League.
