KARACHI: Mayor Murtaza Wahab is set to return unopposed as the chairman of a union committee (UC-8) in Ibrahim Hyderi Town after the nomination paper of a Jamaat-i-Islami man was rejected while the candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf allegedly withdrew her candidature.

Mr Wahab, who had not contested theJan 15 local government elections, had filed nomination papers for UC chairman on three seats of UC-13 Saddar Town, UC-3 Mauripur Town and UC-8 Ibrahim Hyderi Town to run the Nov 5 by-election of local government in the city in an attempt to meet the legal requirements to stay on his current position.

The PTI alleged that its candidate, Jameela Baloch, had been abducted and forced to withdraw her nomination papers and JI`s contender Sabir Khan Abbasi is set to move SHC to challenge the rejection of his nomination papers by the returning officer (RO).

Besides, JI and PTI candidates on Friday also moved the SHC challenging the candidature of Mr Wahab for by-elections of local government on two of three UC seats.

The list of valid nominated candidates issued by the RO on Friday only carried the name of Mr Wahab. Technically, he hasbeen elected unopposed asthe chair-man of UC-8 Ibrahim Hyderi. However, the ECP has so far made no such announcement.

The rival candidates petitioned the SHC a day after the appellate election tribunals had dismissed their appeals against the orders of RO to accept the nomination papers of Mr Wahab.

The petitioners impugned the acceptance of his nomination papers on the ground that the mayor was a registered voter of UC Gizri in Saddar Town and could not run for election from UC-3 Mauripur and UC-8 Ibrahim Hyderi Towns.

The appellate tribunal/district court (West) in its order observed that Mr Wahab was a registered voter in the council of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and he was eligible to run for elections from any UC within the KMC.

Citing the ROs concerned, Election Commission of Pakistan, Mr Wahab and appellate tribunals of West and Malir asrespondents, the petitioners contended that the tribunals did not apply judicial mind.

They insisted that a person contesting direct election must be the voter of the council for which he/she was contesting the election.

The petitioners asked the SHC to set aside the orders of appellate tribunals and declare Mr Wahab ineligible for contesting elections from the UCs in question.

Representing the JI candidates, Advocate Usman Farooq said these petitions were likely to be taken up for hearing in the SHC on Monday.

PTI Karachi general secretary Rehman Mahesar told Dawn that the party candidates had also filed petitions in SHC against acceptance of Mr Wahab`s nomination papers on two UCs seats.

He alleged that party candidate Jameela Baloch had been abducted and her whereabouts were still not known.