TIMERGARA, April 9: Rejection of their strong candidates’ nomination papers has landed Awami National Party, Pakistan People’s Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl in trouble.

ANP candidate for PK-94 Ayub Khan, whose nomination papers were unexpectedly rejected by the returning officer (RO) on Sunday, rushed to Peshawar on Monday to file appeal to the election tribunal.

ANP didn’t nominate covering candidate in the constituency as Haji Ayub, brother of sitting senator and ANP central information secretary Zahid Khan, was confident of winning the seat.

During the last five years, the ANP government had massive development spending in PK-94 apparently to level ground for Mr Ayub’s win.

In case Mr Ayub’s appeal is rejected, then ANP will be out of the electoral process in the constituency.

“We will have no candidate in PK-94 if our only candidate’s papers are rejected,” said an ANP worker.

He said the party leadership should seek explanation from local leaders for not fielding a covering candidate in the constituency.

In NA-34, nomination papers of former state minister and PPP candidate Malik Azmat Khan, covering candidate Rehmatullah and another PPP aspirant Aurangzeb have been rejected landing their party in trouble.

Malik Azmat was considered a strong candidate against Sahibzada Yaqub Khan of Jamaat-i-Islami in the constituency.

Though nomination papers of PPP activists Zahir Shah Khan and Syed Nasir Shah Jan have been accepted for NA-34, they’re weak candidates.

According to insiders, PPP is also worried after the rejection of its PK-97 candidate and former parliamentarian Dr Zakirullah.

Dr Zakirullah has filed an appeal against the returning officer’s decision.

The situation of JUI-F is no different as nomination papers of its candidate Maulana Gul Nasib Khan for NA-34 and PK-97 have been rejected.

Meanwhile, a group of local PPP workers demanded that the leadership field Zahir Shah Khan, brother of former MPA Zamin Khan, in NA-34.

Qalandar Shah of Rabat, Bakhtawar Jan of Khaima, Muhibur Rahman of Lajbok, Iqbal Khan of Malakand Timergara, Ghulam Nabi of Khungi and others told reporters here at Timergara Press Club that PPP workers were delighted at the rejection of Malik Azmat’s nomination papers as he didn’t come up to their expectations during the last five years.

They claimed that a large number of PPP workers from PK-95, PK-95 and PK-96 supported Zahir Shah and that the party could win the seat if their demand was accepted. —Correspondent