MANSEHRA: The opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has set the Jan 31 deadline for the submission of the applications by the contenders for the second phase of the local government elections here.

“The election candidates decided by the electoral board will be formally named on Feb 7,” PML-N district general secretary Niaz Khan Sarkheli told reporters here on Saturday.

He said a meeting chaired by parliamentary leader of the PML-N in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Sardar Mohammad Yusuf had decided to seek election ticket applications for mayor and councillor slots.

Leader says list of candidates to be issued on Feb 7

“We have received over 1,000 poll nomination applications since earlier this week,” he said.

Mr Sarkheli said the party would award tickets ‘on merit’, while electoral seat adjustment and alliance with opposition parties couldn’t be ruled out.

He said his party would sweep the local body elections in Hazara division and other parts of the province.

“Tickets will be awarded to die-hard workers only,” he said.

LEGAL AID: The Al-Khidmat Foundation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has announced it will provide free legal services to women prisoners kept in the district jail here.

District president of Al-Khidmat Foundation Kamran Riaz told reporters here on Saturday that his organisation’s visited the jail, met prisoners and learned about their problems.

“Our lawyers will see women prisoners next week and get their consent forms to plead their cases in the courts,” he said.

Mr Riaz also said electric heaters and geysers were being supplied to prisoners, while winter packages would also be given away to them.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2022