MUHAMMAD SALEEM

LAHORE: With only two days left in submitting nomination papers for contesting bye-election for the NA-120 (Lahore), the seat which left vacant due to disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, major political parties i.e., PML-N and PPP are yet to announce their candidates for the coveted seat.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced that the last date for submission of nomination papers is August 12. On Thursday, two candidates Ghulam Shabbir and Mickal Fars Sarwyaa have submitted their nomination papers for bye election in NA-120.

PML-N sources claim that the party is considering Maryam Nawaz and Begum Kulsoom Nawaz as party candidates for the NA-120 seat — an official announcement, however, has yet to be made within next 24 hours.

So far, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is the only party that has announced its candidate, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, whose campaign is in underway. PML-Q has also thrown its weight behind Yasmeen Rashid.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had earlier announced his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif’s name as the party candidate. His name was later withdrawn as party members deemed his presence in Punjab too important.

The PPP, expected to field its own candidate, has yet to decide a name. The process of filling of nomination papers by candidates with the Returning Officer for bye-election in NA-120 Lahore-III will continue till August 12.

Scrutiny of nomination papers by the Returning Officer will be conducted from August 15 to August 17. Similarly, the last date for filling of appeals against decisions of the Returning Officer rejecting or accepting the nomination papers will be August 21. The last date for deciding of appeals by the Appellate Tribunal will be August 24 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be August 25. The publication of the revised list of candidates will be made on August 26 while the polling will be held on September 17. The nomination papers will be received by the Returning Officer at office of the Provincial Election Commissioner, Punjab, 10-Court Street, Lahore between the hours 08:00am to 04:00pm till August 12. The ECP is also considering electronic voting and bio-metric verification of voters in the NA-120 by-elections, in addition to manual voting process, as a “pilot project”, according to an ECP document.