Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed his desire to contest the upcoming general election from Lahore, a private TV channel reported on Thursday.

Sources said that the former foreign minister has acquired nomination papers for NA-128 constituency in Lahore, which will be submitted after an approval from PPP’s parliamentary board. Sources claimed that PPP leaders have urged Bilawal Bhutto – who has also acquired nomination papers for NA-194 constituency in Larkana – to contest elections from Lahore.

As per the election schedule, nomination papers could be filed with respective returning officers by the candidates from December 20 to 22, while names of all nominated candidates would be published on December 23. According to guidelines issued by the electoral body, a candidate must be accompanied by two voters of the same constituency who would propose and second his nomination. However, no individual can become a proposer or seconder for more than one candidate.

Meanwhile, major political parties – including PML-N and MQM-P – sought extension in the December 22 deadline to file nomination papers for the upcoming general elections.

Gilani, Dehr, Dogar submit nomination papers: MULTAN: Former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and former MNAs Abdul Ghaffar Dogar and Ali Musa Gilani submitted nomination papers on Friday.

Source from the local election commission office informed that the former PM and MNA Ahmad Hussain Dehar submitted papers for NA-148 from PPP and PML-N respectively, whereas Abdul Ghaffar Dogar and Ali Musa Gilani filed their nominees for NA-151 from PML-N and PPP respectively.

Meanwhile, former PTI’s leader Akhtar Malik, Iqbal Siraj, Syed Babar Shah, Iqbal Siraj, Arshad Ran and Malik Anwar also submitted their papers for different constituencies of Punjab Assembly, added the source. It’s important to note that Election Commission had extended the date for submitting the papers for two days.

Kh Asif submits nomination papers for NA-71, PP-46, PP-47: Former federal minister for defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif submitted his nomination papers for National Assembly Constituency NA-71 and provincial constituencies PP-46 and PP-47, as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) from Sialkot.

While talking to the media, he said a decision would be taken in consultation with colleagues about the provincial constituency to contest election.

In response to a question regarding the police raid on Usman Dar’s house, Khawaja Asif said he was not aware of it. “When we were in government, an incident happened for which I apologise. Now there is a caretaker government, courts and administration is there, he added. He advised his political opponents to seek relief from the caretaker government, and if they have any problem with him, they should move the courts of law.

Kh Asif said his family and he had been doing politics for the past 70 years, and he also faced various accusations during that period. Kh Asif said accusations were made against politicians unfortunately, such accusations were made which have no linkages. “I request them [political opponents] to contest elections, and let people of Sialkot decide, the decision taken by people will be acceptable to all,” he said.

Later, PML-N candidate Hafiz Shahid also submitted nomination papers for National Assembly Constituency NA-70.

JUI-F chief submits nomination paper for NA-265 Pishin: Nomination Papers of Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Chief of the Jameet Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) were submitted on Friday for NA-265 Pishin for the upcoming general elections.

Provincial Ameer JUI-F Maulana Abdul Wasey, on behalf of the JUI-F central Ameer, submitted the nomination papers at Pishin district of Balochistan. Senator Kamran Murtaza, Asghar Tarin were prominent among other leadership of the party who accompanied the JUI-F provincial Ameer.

‘Sanam Javed to contest elections against Maryam Nawaz, Shehbaz’: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed to contest the general election against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif and party’s chief organiser, Maryam Nawaz.

Sanam Javed and other female activists of PTI are currently in jail over charges of attacking military installations, hurling petrol bombs outside PTI founder’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore, and other charges. This was announced Javed Iqbal, the father of PTI activist, while talking to newsmen in Lahore.

Iqbal claimed it took him seven days to get the nomination papers signed by his daughter. Meanwhile, the mother of the PTI worker stated that she will run the election campaign for her daughter.

On December 2, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) approved the bail of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed in a police attack case outside Zaman Park.

According to the details, the ATC approved the bail plea of PTI activist and directed her to submit a bail bond of Rs 200,000.

PTI activist’s lawyer in the court stated that after getting bail in one case, the police arrested Sanam Javed in another case.

The lawyer requested the court to grant bail to Sanam Javed.

Not Nawaz Sharif, but Bilawal to become next PM, predicts Manzoor Wasan: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Manzoor Wasan, famous for his ‘political dreams’, on Friday, predicted PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will not become prime minister in 2024.

No matter who supports Nawaz Sharif, we will not let him become PM again, Manzoor Wasan said while talking to the media after submitting his nomination papers from Sindh Assembly’s PS-27 constituency. “Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be next prime minister.” The former minister said those who are sure of winning the upcoming general election will not ‘get anything.’ Without taking the PTI founder’s name, Wasan said, everyone should be allowed to contest elections.

It is to be noted that the filing of nomination papers by political leaders across the country is underway and earlier today, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) extended the deadline for submission of nomination papers that was supposed to end today.

According to the details, the electoral watchdogs have extended the date of submission of nomination papers by two days and announced that the nomination papers can be submitted by December 24. Following the nomination paper submission, the preliminary list of the candidates will be published on December 24.

Meanwhile, the returning officers will scrutinize the candidates from December 25 till December 30. However, the polling will be held on February 08, 2024.