The Supreme Court of Pakistan has allowed PTI activist Sanam Javed Khan to contest election from Lahore.
She will contest election as an independent candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief organiser Maryam Nawaz.
In a major relief to the PTI, the top court has also allowed its four other main leaders to contest the February 8 elections.
The SC has declared Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Shaukat Umar Aslam, Major Tahir Sadiq and Shaukat Basra as eligible to take part in the election. They are candidates of the PTI from Gujrat, Khushab, Attock and Bahawalpur.
Led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, a three-member bench of the top court announced the verdict on Friday.
The bench comprised Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail. The SC bench accepted the appeals of the candidates against the decisions of the election tribunal.
The top court earlier heard three separate pleas filed by the applicants. It also summoned the officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the applications of Sanam Javed and Shaukat Basra. The election tribunal had rejected the appeals of both PTI-backed candidates.
Elahi has filed the nomination papers in five national and provincial assembly constituencies. He later withdrew applications from all seats except for a PA seat from Gujrat.
The decision regarding the election contest of Sanam Javed is also expected today.
