PESHAWAR: Seventy-six people have filed nomination papers for the March 16 by-elections in eight National Assembly constituencies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

All eight former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNAs, who vacated the seats by tendering resignations, were among them.

The eight constituencies include NA-4 Swat, NA-17 Haripur, NA-18 Swabi, NA-25 Nowshera, NA- 26 Nowshera, NA-32 Kohat, NA-38 Dera Ismail Khan and NA-43 Khyber.

With Feb 8 being the last date to file nomination papers, the Election Commission of Pakistan released the lists of aspirants on Thursday.

Former PTI MNAs among aspirants

There are nine aspirants for NA-4 Swat seat, including former federal minister Murad Saeed of the PTI. Others include Haneef Khan, Mumtaz Ali Khan, Mohammad Raza Khan, Fakhruz Zaman Khan, Khurshid Ali, Abdul Mohsin and Fawad Khan.

Former federal minister Omar Ayub Khan is one of the eight people, who filed nomination papers for NA-17 Haripur. Other aspirants include former MNA Babar Nawaz Khan, Abdul Shakoor, Mohammad Haneef, Mohammad Zubair, Raja Ehtesham, Shoukat Bilal Khan and Syed Ali Zawar Hussain Naqwi.

For the NA-18 Swabi seat, aspirants total 11 including former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Gohar Ali, Sarfaraz Khan Jadoon, Ijaz Bacha, Wasim Shah, Hashmatullah, Mohammad Sheraz, Shahnawaz Khanzada, Nawabzada, Aqibullah Khan and Feroz Khan Jadoon.

A total of nine people have filed papers for the NA-25 Nowshera seat. They include PTI provincial chief and former federal minister Pervez Khattak, Mian Wajahatullah, Mohammad Ismail Khattak, Khan Pervez, Jamshed Khan, Mian Mohammad Umar, Malik Fayazur Rehman, Ikhtiar Wali and Mehmood Ahmad.

Similarly, there are 12 aspirants for NA-26 Nowshera, including former PTI MNA Imran Khattak, who is the son-in-law of Pervez Khattak, Ghulam Idrees Khan, Iran Bacha, Mohammad Kashif, Salih Mohammad, Ashfaq Ahmad, Mohammad Abdullah Khattak, Khaliqur Rehman, Bilal Saeed, Jan Mohammad, Mian Azizul Haq and Noor Alam Khan.

Former federal minister Shehryar Afridi and six other aspirants Salman Khan Shinwari, Najeebullah Durrani, Manzoor Khan, Babar Azeem Afridi, Abbas Afridi and Johar Mohammad Khan Bangash filed papers for NA-32 Kohat.

Another former federal minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and nine other aspirants including former provincial minister Faisal Amin Khan, former MPA of the PPP Ahmad Kundi, Malik Mohammad Ayaz, Abdur Rashid Khan Kundi, Mohammad Shafiqul Hai, Rehan Mali, Zamir Hussain, Dawar Khan Kundi and Mohammad Tanveer have filed papers for NA-38 DI Khan.

Moreover, for NA-43 Khyber, 10 aspirants have file nomination papers including former PTI minister in the centre Noorul Haq Qadri, former MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi, Ihsanullah, Amir Mohammad Khan Afridi, Bilawal Afridi, Shah Rehman, Abdul Wahid, Kashifullah, Nausherwan and Wahid Shah.

The respective returning officers will complete scrutiny of nomination papers by Feb 13, whereas appeals could be filed against decisions of the returning officers by Feb 16. The appellate tribunal will decide the appeals by Feb 20 after which revised lists of candidates will be issued on Feb 21.

Moreover, the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers and issuance of final list of candidates will be Feb 22 after which election symbols will be allotted to candidates on Feb 23.

Meanwhile, aspirants will start filing nomination papers for the second phase of by-elections today (Friday). That phase is meant for 16 National Assembly constituencies in KP with polling slated to be held on March 19.

The papers will be filed by Feb 14 leading to the publishing to the names of candidates on Feb 15.

The 16 constituencies include NA-2 Swat, NA-3 Swat, NA-5 Upper Dir, NA-6 Lower Dir, NA-7 Lower Dir, NA-8 Malakand, NA- 9 Buner, NA-16 Abbottabad, NA-19 Swabi, NA-20 Mardan, NA-29 Peshawar, NA-30 Peshawar, NA-34 Karak, NA-40 Bajaur, NA-42 Mohmand and NA-44 Khyber.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2023