RAWALPINDI, Dec 14: Eleven candidates on Saturday submitted their nomination papers with the district and sessions judge and returning officer (RO) for NA-56 Shehzad Pervez Abbasi for contesting the by-elections, which are scheduled to be held on January 15.

Those who submitted their papers were Sardar Shaukat Hayat (PPP), Agha Riazul Islam (PPP), Rashid Naseem Abbasi (PPP), Mohammad Yousaf Mirza (PPP), Syed Zafar Ali Shah (PML-N), Raja Hanif Abbasi (PML-N), Mohammad Hanif Abbasi (MMA), Sheikh Rashid Shafique (PML-Q), Amir Mehmood Kiani (PTI) and independent candidates Sheikh Shakir Shafique and Malik Naseer Ahmad.

The NA-56 seat was surrendered by federal information minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.