KARACHI: Over 20 candidates of different political parties on Tuesday filed their nomination papers for the March-16 by-elections on nine of the 21 National Assembly seats of Karachi which fell vacant due to the resignations of PTI lawmakers.

The by-polls would be held on NA-241 (Korangi, Karachi-III), NA-242 (Karachi East-I), NA-243 (Karachi East-II), NA-244 (Karachi East-III), NA-247 (Karachi South-II), NA-250 (Karachi West-III, NA-252 (Karachi West-V), NA-254 (Karachi Central-II) and NA-256 (Karachi Central-IV).

Prominent among those who filed the nominations included Aftab Siddiqi of the PTI, Sheikh Salahuddin and Fayyaz Alam of the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan and Sohail Mansoor of the PPP.

According to the schedule, candidates can file nomination papers with the returning officers (RO) concerned till Wednesday (today) after which a list of the candidates would be issued on Feb 9.

Scrutiny of documents will be carried out till Feb 13, followed by the publication of a revised list of candidates on Feb 21. However, contesting candidates will be able to withdraw their candidature by the next day and the final list of candidates is to be issued the same day.

The by-polls in Karachi are part of the countrywide elections on vacant seats of the PTI members. On April 11, 2022, as many as 123 PTI lawmakers resigned en masse after former prime minister Imran Khan was ousted from his office through a no-confidence motion.

In July 2022, NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of 11 PTI members. On Jan 19, he accepted 34 more resignations and on Jan 20, 35 further resignations, taking the total number to 80.

On Jan 24, 43 more resignations of PTI lawmakers were accepted and the total number now stands at 123. The March 16 by-polls are being held on the basis of the resignations accepted on Jan 17.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2023