ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday extended the last date for submission of nomination papers by the prospective candidates till Monday (Aug 26).

The EC decision has given political parties and people aspiring to contest elections two more days to submit their papers with the returning officers concerned.

In an announcement made on Saturday evening, the commission said the offices of ROs across the country would remain open on Sunday to accept the nomination papers.

It said the returning officers had been directed to keep their offices open till 8pm on Monday evening with a view to giving maximum time to the candidates for submission of papers.

In a separate announcement earlier in the day, the commission extended the last date for filing of the list of candidates to be fielded by the political parties for women and minorities’ seats till the day fixed for the withdrawal of candidature.

As per the original schedule of the elections, all the political parties were supposed to submit the list of their candidates on 10 minorities seats and 60 women seats till Aug 24.

The last date of filing of nomination papers has been extended on the demand of almost all the major political parties.

The EC said the leaders of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian, Pakistan Muslim League (QA), Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, National Alliance and National Jamhoori Party had requested the CEC to extend the last date for filing of nomination papers.

The political parties made this request because of the difficulties being faced by their candidates in completion of these papers, which required details of their assets as well as of their immediate family members.

The EC on Friday had allowed the candidates to submit certificate of their political affiliation at the stage of allotment of symbols.

With the extension of two days in the deadline for submission of nomination papers, the EC had to revise the whole election schedule except for the date of polling fixed for Oct 10.

The scrutiny of the nominations papers by the returning officers will now be held from Aug 27 to Sept 2. The last date for filing of appeal against rejection or acceptance of nomination papers has been extended till Sept 6 and the last date for deciding of these appeals to Sept 13.

Nomination papers can now be withdrawn till 5pm on Sept 14. The EC, as per the revised schedule, will publish the final list of candidates on Sept 15.

The reports pouring in from all over the country indicated that a large number of candidates submitted their nomination papers on Saturday.

Though the ban on political activities has still not been lifted, the district courts across the country witnessed a great deal of activity.

However, the traditional election frenzy experienced in the previous elections is conspicuous by its absence. It is expected that the election campaign will gather pace with the lifting of ban on political activities by mid-September.