RAWALPINDI, Dec 9: The returning officer (RO) of NA-56, additional district and sessions judge Syed Pervez Ali Shah, will receive nomination papers today (Tuesday) from the candidates for the by-elections scheduled for January 15.

The seat was surrendered by the federal information minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who had also won from NA-55.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmad, during a ‘meet the press’ session held at the Rawalpindi Press Club two days before Eid, made it clear that he had been given a free hand by the Punjab chief minister, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, and the PML-Q leader, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, to project any person from the constituency on his choice.

However, according to political experts, Mr Ahmad was interested in backing Atif Kiani, who had contested the general elections from PP-13. The information minister, sources said, had also visited different areas in the constituency and assured the people that maximum development projects would be started for their welfare. He also asked them to support any person backed by him in the by- elections.

Though, other political factions have also not made public the names of their candidates, the PML-N senior vice-president, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, is trying to come forward as a joint candidate of the PML-N and the PPP, the sources said. In this regard, Mr Shah, along with his party’s joint secretary Chaudhry Tanveer, held a meeting with the PPP leader, Asif Ali Zardari, on December 4, when he appeared before Accountability Court No 2 during a hearing of his SGS reference.

However, according to some political experts, the PPP’s runner up candidate from the constituency, Sardar Shaukat Hayat, would be contesting by-elections.