ISLAMABAD: Local PML-N and PTI leaders are making efforts to get party tickets and 15 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for contesting the election for the seat of mayor.

The last day for submission of nomination papers was Friday.

According to District Election Commissioner Naeem Ahmed, the election will be held on Dec 28.

The seat fell vacant on Oct 1 after the surprise resignation of PML-N’s Sheikh Anser Aziz. The party holds a majority in the 70-member Municipal Corporation of Islamabad as it currently has 45 members against 25 of the PTI.

The party has been backing Chaudhry Riffat Javed for the election against the vacant seat of mayor but the PML-N received a setback when the election commission ruled that three deputy mayors, including Mr Javed, could not contest as after becoming deputy mayors they are no longer part of the electoral college.

Henceforth, all three have filed a case in Islamabad High Court (IHC). Mr Javed filed his nomination paper hoping that the court would set aside the election commission’s directive.

Other local leaders belonging to the PML-N who submitted their nomination papers are: Sardar Mahtab, Sajid Abbasi, Zaheer Shah, Wasim Sana Malik, Pir Adil Shah, Azhar Mahmood and Sajid Mahmood. Whereas PTI aspirants include Sheeraz Kaini, Malik Amir, Khurram Bakhtiar, Malik Sajid Mohammad Rafiq and Ahmed Khan.

In the local government elections held on Nov 30, 2015, PML-N emerged as a majority party. Initially, out of the 79 members of the corporation, there were 51 members from the PML-N against the 28 from the PTI. Later, some members from both sides resigned from their seats to contest other elections.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2020