Imran Khan’s Nominations Rejected, Nawaz Sharif’s Accepted for Pakistan’s 2024 Elections

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Pakistan’s Election Commission rejects Imran Khan’s Nominations

Pakistan’s Election Commission has rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nomination to contest the upcoming 2024 national elections in two constituencies. The decision was based on his disqualification stemming from a corruption conviction and his status as a non-registered voter in the respective constituencies.

Imran Khan, 71, has faced political and legal challenges since his ousting as prime minister in April 2022. He has been out of the public eye since his imprisonment in August 2022 for the unlawful sale of state gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.

Despite his disqualification, Khan’s media team confirmed that he filed nomination papers for the elections on Friday. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected his nominations citing his ineligibility due to the corruption conviction and lack of voter registration.

Pakistan's former premier Imran Khan has had his application to contest in the 2024 elections in two constituencies rejected, the Times of India reports https://t.co/NE7DXZnk0p

— Bloomberg (@business) December 31, 2023

Khan, who remains a popular figure in Pakistan, has alleged that the military is targeting him to prevent his participation in the elections, a claim that the military denies. Last week, a high court upheld his disqualification from contesting the elections.

In addition to Khan, the Election Commission also rejected nomination papers from other senior members of his party, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the vice chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s nominations for the 2024 elections have been accepted by the Election Commission, despite a previous ban on holding public office. Sharif, who returned to Pakistan in October after years of exile, is seeking to reclaim the premiership in the upcoming elections.