Pak tribunals uphold rejection of Musharraf's nomination

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's efforts to seek election to parliament from four seats suffered major setbacks on Tuesday when tribunals barred him from contesting the May 11 polls from two constituencies in the Pakistani capital and Punjab province.

The tribunals comprising high court judges upheld decisions by Returning Officers to reject Musharraf's nomination papers for two National Assembly constituencies in Islamabad and Kasur. The development came a day after another election tribunal dismissed Musharraf's appeal against the rejection of his nomination papers for a parliamentary constituency in the southern port city of Karachi.

Musharraf had filed appeals in the tribunals against the returning officers' decisions but these were rejected by the judges. The returning officers had rejected 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.

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.