KARACHI, Aug 26: Brisk activity was witnessed on Monday as curtains were drawn on the extended time for filing nomination papers for the 41 provincial and 20 national assembly seats from the metropolis.
Major political parties and independents have filed several hundred nomination papers for the seats, in addition to the reserved seats for women and the minorities.
Despite a downpour, political activists took advantage of the extended time and thronged the provincial headquarters of the Election Commission and offices of the returning officers.
When contacted for details, the provincial EC official said the details of total nomination papers filed for the general and reserved seats were being compiled by the ROs and it would not be possible to give a comprehensive picture before Tuesday.
As many candidates have filed more than one form for the same constituency with different proposers and seconders, the actual number of candidates who are in the run was not yet clear.
So far, breakup of 115 nomination papers was available unofficially. According to an unofficial count, 68 nomination papers were filed for five NA seats from the former district Central. At least 169 papers were filed for 10 PS seats from the same district.
Eightyseven nominations were filed for the four NA seats from district West and 211 for the nine PS seats. From Malir 50 papers were filed for two NA and 103 for four provincial assembly seats. Details of Districts East and South were awaited.
Since August 19, when the election process was initiated, till Sunday by 4pm 755 (233 for NA and 522 for PS) candidates had deposited their nominations from Karachi against 20 general NA seats and 41 provincial seats.
According to unofficial information, on the 29 reserved seats for women in the provincial assembly 122 candidates had filed nomination papers. There are 14 reserved seats for women in the NA from Sindh.
According to sources, 84 candidates filed for nine seats reserved for minorities.
Scrutiny of the papers would be held from Aug 27 to September 2 while appeals against acceptance and rejection of nomination papers could be filed by Sept 6 which will be decided by Sept 13. The nominations could be withdrawn till Sept 14 as the revised list of candidates would be published on Sept 15 while polling would be held according to the programme on October 10.
Some of the candidates had reportedly submitted nomination papers without supporting documents for want of time. They had been asked by returning officers and assistant returning officers to bring authenticated papers on the day of scrutiny.
According to analysts, it appears that Muttahida Qaumi Movement, People’s Party Parliamentarians and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal are main contenders in the city, though PML and ANP have also filed nomination papers, banking mostly on ethnic pockets of upcountry migrants.
Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, which is an electoral alliance of six religious parties, have allocated 11 seats of National Assembly and 14 seats of Sindh Assembly in the province to Jamaat-i-Islami.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F), Sindh, has filed nomination papers of its candidates from the city for two seats of the National Assembly and six seats of the Provincial Assembly on the tickets of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan has filed nomination papers of five candidates from Karachi for NA seats and 15 candidates for PA seats on the tickets of MMA.
Jamaat-i-Islami has fielded seven women on NA seats and 15 for PA seats on the tickets of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan has deposited four nomination papers against NA reserved seats and seven nominations on PA reserved women seats on the ticket of MMA.
ANP Sindh has filed four candidates for NA seats and 13 candidates for PA seats.
Benazir: The nomination papers of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto for the women’s reserved seats from Sindh in the National Assembly were filed here on Monday in the provincial headquarters of the election commission.
Despite heavy downpour a large number of PPP activists went to the EC in a procession.
Munawar Suhrawardy has proposed the nomination whereas labour leader Habibuddin Junedi has seconded it.
