ISLAMABAD – Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday rejected thenomination papers of Ishaq Dar which he had submitted for the upcomingSenate elections in March.

The opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had challengedlink>thenomination papers of Dar, pointing out that Dar was declared absconder inthe corruption reference against him heard by NAB court.

ECP ruled that Dar is ineligible to contest in the Senate electionssince there is a pending corruption case against him in the accountabilitycourt.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had nominated Ishaq Dar asits Senate candidate for another three-year term as nine of the PML-NSenators are due to retire next month after completing their terms.

Dar was to contest in the Senate polls over two seats, a general seat andtechnocrat seat. The PTI lawyer reasoned that Dar submitted the sameaccount details for expenditure while contesting for both seats.

52 Senators will retire next month ahead of the Senate elections on March3. PML-N is likely to gain an overwhelming majority in the upper house ofparliament.