Nawaz is allowed to contest June bypoll

By OUR PAKISTAN CORRESPONDENT

Islamabad, May 15: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was on Thursday allowed to contest the June 26 byelection by the authorities.

Returning officer Chaudhry Badar-ud-Din, while rejecting allegations against the candidature of Nawaz Sharif, chief of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), has accepted his nomination papers for contesting the byelection from NA-123 (Lahore), Mr Sharif’s party said.

"The returning officer also accepted the nomination papers of Hamza Shahbaz for the same seat," a party spokesperson said in Lahore. Mr Nawaz Sharif was not allowed to contest the previous two general elections as the rules did not permit a convict to stand for polls.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters, Mr Nawaz Sharif said that the PML(N) has no lust for the power, it only believes in serving people whether it will stay in government or the Opposition. He said, "We are still committed to the restoration of judges and our party stands by its words in this regard."