PESHAWAR, April 7: Nomination papers of several political heavyweights were accepted by the returning officers concerned during scrutiny for different National Assembly constituencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Nomination papers of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman have been accepted from NA-24 Dera Ismail Khan and NA-25 Dera cum Tank. He is also candidate from NA-27 Lakki Marwat where the returning officer had accepted his papers.

Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan’s papers from NA-7 Charsadda and Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Sherpao’s papers from NA-8 Charsadda had also been cleared.

Former chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti has been declared eligible for contesting elections for both the National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly seats.

He is contesting against central leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti.

Akram Khan Durrani, former leader of the opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, would contest elections for both national and provincial assemblies’ constituencies from Bannu district. His papers have been accepted.

Papers of former chief minister Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, who is contesting from Abbottabad on PML-N ticket, have been accepted. Former federal finance minister Umar Ayub’s papers were accepted for National Assembly seat from Haripur.

Tehrik Sooba Hazara chairman Haider Zaman’s papers were accepted from Abbottabad, while PTI vice-president Azam Swati would contest polls from Mansehra after acceptance of his nomination papers.

APP ADDS: Among other political heavyweights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who have been cleared by returning officers concerned, PTI chief Imran Khan and provincial president of PPP Anwar Saifullah, were prominent.

As many as five former chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Ameer Haider Hoti, Aftab Sherpao, Akram Durrani, Mehtab Abassi and Pir Sabir Shah, are also among the contenders from the province.

The boundary of Khyber Pakhtunkwa encompasses areas of 35 National Assembly seats from NA-1 to NA-35. In NA-1 constituency comprising urban areas of provincial metropolis the main fight would be between Imran Khan and Ghulam Bilour. Provincial president of PPP Anwar Saifullah is in the field from PK-75 Lakki Marwat.

In D.I. Khan, the JUI-F chief would again face Faisal Karim Kundi in NA-24 constituency. Kundi had defeated Maulana Sahib in 2008 elections in the same constituency.

PMLN’s Mehtab Abbassi will contest polls from NA-17 Abbottabad, the seat he had never lost since 1985.