QUETTA: Former Balochistan home minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti’s nomination papers for provincial assembly’s seat PB-10 Pishin were rejected by the returning officer during scrutiny on Tuesday.

The decision came after political opponents of the former minister alleged that Bugti did not mention details of his assets while filing his nomination papers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Taking action on impugns, Returning Officer Asad Achakzai rejected Sarfaraz Bugti’s nomination papers, he submitted to contest general elections.

The last date for filing the nomination papers for the 2018 general elections scheduled to be held on July 25 was June 11, while the scrutiny process of the forms as announced by the ECP started on Tuesday (June 12).

Bugti expressed regret over the rejection of his nomination papers and announced to challenge the returning officer’s decision in the Balochistan High Court.

Ghazain Marri

Meanwhile, the ECP’s returning officer also rejected nomination papers filed by Ghazain Marri for Kohlu’s PB-9 seat. According to the ECP, the proposer and the person authorised by the candidate were not present during the scrutiny process to verify the documents Marri.

Ghazain, who is son of Marri tribe’s former chief Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri and facing multiple cases, including one involving the murder of a high court judge, had returned to Pakistan from 17-year-long self-exile in September last year.

He is a younger brother of PML-N leader Nawab Jhangez Marri and elder brother of Hyarbyar Marri, the chief of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Zamuran Marri, the chief of banned United Baloch Army (UBA).