KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan accepted nomination papers of 17 candidates belonging to two groups of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and other parties for the March 3 Senate elections on Sunday.

Sunday was the second day of scrutiny of nomination papers of aspirants and Sindh Election Commissioner Yusuf Khattak accepted the 12 forms against seven general seats.

ECP spokesman Abdul Hameed Mughal told Dawn that nomination papers of three candidates — Amir Chishti of MQM-P (Bahadurabad), Sofia Saeed and Hassan Sabir of the Pak Sarzameen Party — were rejected after scrutiny.

The papers of two candidates — Ahmad Chinnoy of MQM-P and Najeeb Haroon of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf — for as many technocrat seats would be decided on Monday (today).

Mr Chinnoy was asked to produce his degree duly attested by the Higher Education Commission while Mr Haroon was directed to bring his proposer and seconder.

The decision on the form of Sanjay Parwani, who filed paper for a seat reserved for minority, was also deferred till Monday. The candidate was asked to go to Hyderabad and bring a verified certificate from the district election officer that his proposer was indisposed and hospitalised and unable to travel.

The nominations found correct and accepted are: Ameenul Haque, Dr Farogh Naseem (two forms), Abdul Qadir Khanzada, Nasreen Jalil, Kishwar Zuhra of the MQM (Bahadurabad); Kamran Tessori, Ali Raza Abidi, retired Justice Hasan Feroze, Dr Nikhat and Mangla Sharma of MQM (PIB Colony).

Dr Saghir Ahmad, Mubashir Imam, Advocate Anees Ahmad and Mohan Manjiani of the PSP, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Sarfraz Jatoi of the PML-N and Asif Khan (independent).

The ECP had on Saturday found nomination papers of 10 aspirants of the Pakistan Peoples Party against general seats correct.

They are Mian Raza Rabbani, Maula Bux Chandio, Murtaza Wahab, Imamuddin Shauqeen, Ayaz Mahar, Mustafa Nawaz Khohkar, Dost Ali Jessar, Muhammad Ali Shah Jamote, Javed Nayab Laghari and Qasim Siraj Soomro.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2018