F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) began on Wednesday its process to receive nomination papers from would-be candidates desiring to contest the February 8 general elections.
The ECP will continue to receive the 11-page nominations papers until Friday and will publish the list of candidates on Saturday and start scrutiny process from Sunday to 30th of this month.
Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filed by 3rd of next month, which will be decided by Appellate Tribunals till 10th of next month.
The revised list of candidates will be displayed on 11 January and candidates can withdraw their papers till 12 January.
The Election Commission will allot election symbols to the political parties and independent candidates on 13th of next month while polling will be held on 8th of February.
As the process was set into motion on Wednesday, potential candidates can obtain forms from the electoral body from 8:30am to 4:30pm, and submit their nominate papers by December 22.
Among the prominent political leaders to obtain the nomination papers were PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairmen Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto, former PTI chairman Imran Khan, Sheikh Rashid, Khurshid Shah and others.
Nawaz Sharif will contest election from NA-15 in Mansehra and his son-in-law Captain Safdar received nomination papers on his behalf. On the Occasion, he said Nawaz Sharif will contest polls from his home of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari obtained nomination papers from NA-207 Nawabshah-I. Advocate Ghulam Shabbir Zardari received the papers on behalf of Asif Zardar.
Talking to newsmen in Islamabad, new PTI Chairman Ali Gohar Khan announced that former prime minister Imran Khan will contest elections from three constituencies.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will contest elections from NA-194 Larkana. PPP Larkana president received the Bilawal’s nomination papers.
AML leader Sheikh Rashid Shafiq submitted nomination papers of former interior minister and party chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad from NA-57 in Rawalpindi.
