LAHORE: Electoral prospects of PTI’s incarcerated founder Imran Khan, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz hit snags on Wednesday when objections were filed against their nomination papers.

Mian Naseer of PML-N objected to Mr Khan’s nomination papers, saying the former PM’s seconder and proposer do not belong to NA-122, which is a legal requirement.

He also pointed out that Mr Khan, who has submitted his papers from the NA-122 constituency, is a convicted man and therefore cannot participate in the polls. The nomination papers were not signed by the jail authorities, which is also a requirement, he added.

After a short argument, the returning officer adjourned the hearing till Thursday afternoon (today).

Muhammad Ayaz, a resident of Lahore, objected to the nomination of the PPP leader who intends to run from the NA-127 constituency. The applicant said Mr Bhutto-Zardari has shown himself a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), though he is chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party. Electoral laws do not permit a person having links to two different parties at the same time. Both parties are different entities with separate election symbols — ‘sword’ for PPP and ‘arrow’ for PPPP.

The scrutiny of Mr Bhutto-Zardari’s papers is set for Thursday.

PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz, who has submitted her nomination papers for the Punjab Assembly seat PP-80 (Sargodha), will be facing twin objections to her electoral bid. According to the objections, she has concealed her assets while her nomination papers carry fake signatures.

On the other hand, papers of Mian Shehbaz Sharif (NA-123), his son Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, Khawaja Saad Rafique (NA-122) and Zaheer Abbass Khokhar (NA-127) have been accepted.

However, problems of PTI aspirants refuse to go away, if their complaints are something to go by. The party’s social media wing uploaded video clips of arrests and threats.

In Lahore, the seconder and proposer of Zaheer Abbas Khokhar were taken into custody at the RO office. In Rahim Yar Khan (NA-173), police picked up five proposers of the party’s candidates. A total of 13 proposers were reported to have been picked up in Rahim Yar Khan.

In Kasur (PP-176), houses of the seconder and proposer of Ms Muzamil Masood Bhatti were raided late in the night. They escaped arrest, but Ms Bhatti claimed police were after them.

PTI also reported the arrest of Advocate Naeem Shah, who is representing Ghulam Mohyudin Diwan. Mr Diwan hopes to run from two constituencies — NA-118 and PP-148.

Meanwhile, nomination papers of PPP’s several leaders vying for the general, women and minority seats from central Punjab were approved.

Samana Malaika Raza, Shazia Abid, Neelam Jabbar, Nargis Faiz Malik, Labni Tariq, Sonia Khan, Shahida Jabin, Nayab Gohar and Gohar Jamal are running for the reserved seats of Punjab Assembly.

Nomination papers of Sahutra, Javed Raza Raymond, Sara Samuel and KK have been accepted for PP-166, Rana Jameel Munj’s for NA-125, Sir Rana Dilshad’s for PP-165, Syed Umar Sharif Bukhari’s from PP-159, and Aziz’s from NA-90.

Likewise, papers of Rehman Aamir Naseer Butt (NA-118 and PP-47), Rana Ziaul Haq (NA-123), Fakhr al-Nisa (PP-97), Aslam Gul (PP-161), Faisal Mir, Khurram Parvez, and Khalil Kamran (PP-157), Saud Tahir (PP-76), Muhammad Nawaz (PP-49), Aslam Zawar Silhari (PP-191), Jahanzeb Ahmed (PP-162), Nadia Shah (PP-169), Sardar Akram Advocate and Syed Omar Sharif Bokhari (PP-59) were accepted by the ROs concerned.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2023