Countdown to NA by-polls begins, as aspirants file nominations
Candidates from the PTI, PML-N and PPP and independent aspirants filed their nomination papers to contest by-elections on 31 seats scheduled to be held on March 16.
The nomination papers had to be filed by Wednesday at the latest. In order to increase voter participation, the PTI has also requested that the by-polls be rescheduled from March 16 to March 19.
Fight for Lahore’s two seats in the National Assembly In Lahore, 32 candidates submitted their nomination papers for the city’s two seats.
Hammad Azhar of the PTI submitted his NA-126 nomination papers, and nine other candidates, including Aurangzeb Barki, Mehar Wajid, and Hasan Irshad Dogar, also did so.
Shafqat Mahmood, leader of the PTI, and thirty other candidates, including Rubina Shaheen and Ahmad Jawad Rana, submitted nomination papers for NA-130.
Nine seats in Karachi: Aspirants Sattar, Kamal MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar submitted his nomination papers for NA-152, while Mustafa Kamal of the party submitted his for NA-156.
Shehla Raza of the PPP submitted her NA-222 nomination papers. She claimed that the contest would go to her party.
Former PTI minister Ali Zaidi submitted his NA-244 nomination papers. He also said that the recent elections for Karachi’s local bodies were rigged.
Following the resignations of PTI lawmakers, nine of the NA’s 21 seats in Karachi became vacant.
NA-241 (Korangi, Karachi-III), NA-242 (Karachi East-I), NA-244 (Karachi East-III), NA-247 (Karachi South-II), NA-250 (Karachi West-III), NA-252 (Karachi West-V), NA-254 (Karachi Central-II), and NA-256 (Karachi Central-IV) would be the sites of by-polls.
Candidates for NA-59 (Rawalpindi): Six candidates submitted nomination papers.
The PTI’s Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Col (retd) Ajmal Sabir Raja, and PML-N’s Qamarul Islam Raja also submitted their nomination papers, as did the former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
The papers for Hammas Abbasi, the PML-N’s Hanif Abbasi’s son, have been sent to the returning officer for NA-62.
The papers for the former minister Sheikh Rashid were sent in by his nephew, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, who lives in the same constituency.
The returning officer was also asked to allow an election rally on behalf of Mr. Rashid. The request states that the AML leader will speak from jail on March 14 to the meeting at Liaquat Bagh.
Balochistan 32 candidates submitted nomination papers for the NA-265 Quetta II seat in Balochistan.
Among the prominent leaders who have submitted their documents are Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP, Rahila Hameed Durrani of PML-N, Ali Muhammad Jatak of PPPP, Muhammad Jamal of BNP, Qasim Khan Suri of PTI, Mufti Wazir Ahmed Rizvi of TLP, and Dr. Yasmin Lehri of the National Party.
The Election Commission of Pakistan says that the final list of candidates who submitted their nominations will be published on February 9 and their papers will be reviewed by February 13.
The appellant tribunals will hear appeals against the rejection of nomination papers by returning officers until February 16, after which the appeals will be decided.
On February 21, a revised list of candidates will be made public, and nomination forms can be withdrawn until February 22.
Day of the polls On February 23, the final list of candidates will be made public, and they will receive election symbols. On March 16, voters will cast their ballots.
