KARACHI: With the scrutiny of the remaining six candidates for the upcoming senate polls, the provincial election commission on Friday accepted all 28 nomination papers filed for the 11 seats of the upper house in Sindh.

The ECP, Sindh accepted the nomination papers of Pakistan Peoples Party’s Islamuddin Shaikh and Shaikh Abdul Latif Ansari (general seats) and Mutt­ahida Qaumi Movement’s Mian Muha­mmad Atique (general), Seema Zareen and Tehseen Mashkoor Abidi (women) after they presented required documents on the second day of the scrutiny of nomination papers.

Their nomination papers were not accepted on Thursday — the first day of scrutiny — for want of clearance certificates either from the State Bank or the income tax department or a utility agency.

Mr Sheikh, Mr Ansari and Mr Atique were told to furnish no-demand certificates from the State Bank. Ms Zareen and Ms Abidi were directed to submit an income tax return certificate and clear and submit utility bills, respectively.

The nomination papers of the sixth candidate of the day, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Syed Zafar Ali Shah whose nomination papers could not be considered for scrutiny on Thursday for want of time, were scrutinised, found in order and approved.

Speaking to reporters, Sindh Election Commiss­ioner Syed Muhammad Tariq Quaderi said that the names of four lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf were included in the voters’ list, which was provided to the ECP by the Sindh Assembly secretariat.

He said like all other MPAs, all four PTI lawmakers are eligible to cast their vote in the March 5 senate polls.

Of the 168-member Sindh Assembly, 167 MPAs were eligible to vote for the senate poll, as one seat had fallen vacant after an election tribunal unseated a member, he said.

Accompanied by Sindh joint election commissioner Tanveer Zaki and Karachi Central district election officer Syed Nadeem Haider, Mr Quaderi said 18 candidates are in the run against seven general seats; six contesting for two seats reserved for women and four candidates are vying for two seats reserved for technocrats.

He said that appeals against acceptance/rejection of nomination papers could be filed on Feb 23 and 24 followed by their disposal on Feb 26 and 27.

He said that candidates could withdraw their nomination papers by Feb 28 and the final list of contesting candidates would be issued the same day.

He said that polling would be held on March 5 from 9am to 4pm in the Sindh Assembly building.

Following candidates are contesting election on general seats: Mr Ansari, Sal­eem Mandviwalla, Mr Sha­ikh, Gyanchand, Abdul Rah­man Malik, Jean Khan Sarfraz Rajar, Dost Ali Jesser of the PPP; Aminul Haq, Wasim Akhtar, Gul­fraz Khan, Khushbakht Shujaat, Nighat Mirza, Syed Muha­mmad Raza Zaidi, Mr Atique and Babar Khan Ghori of the MQM; Imam­uddin Shouqeen and Muhammad Bux of the PML-Functional and Mr Shah of the PML-N.

Women reserved seats: Sassui Palejo and Shama Mithani of the PPP, Ms Shujaat, Nighat Mirza, Ms Zareen and Ms Abidi of the MQM.

Technocrat/Ulema reser­v­ed seats: Farooq H. Naek and Mr Malik of the PPP; Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada and Muhammad Ali Khan Saif of the MQM.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2015

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