The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has joined JUI-F and MQM-Pakistan in demanding extension in the date for submission of nomination papers for February 8 general elections, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In a letter written to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday, PML-N Election Cell Chairman Senator Ishaq Dar sought two-day extension in date for submitting nomination papers.
According to the ECP schedule, the Commission will continue to receive the 11-page nominations papers until Friday (December 22-tomorrow) and will publish the list of candidates on Saturday and start scrutiny process from Sunday to 30th of this month.
Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filed by 3rd of next month, which will be decided by Appellate Tribunals till 10th of next month.
The revised list of candidates will be displayed on 11 January and candidates can withdraw their papers till 12 January.
The Election Commission will allot election symbols to the political parties and independent candidates on 13th of next month while polling will be held on 8th of February.
In his letter, Ishaq Dar urged the ECP that date for submission of nomination papers should be extended but there should be no change in the date for holding general elections.
The letter further said that the candidates need more time for submission of nomination papers and NOCs so they must be given more time.
The letter elaborated that candidates have to arrange other documents including obtaining NOCs from different departments which will be submitted along with the nomination papers. “They need to complete the documentation otherwise their nomination papers will be rejected,” Dar said.
The PML-N leader stressed that in order to facilitate the candidates the submission date should be extended by two days without altering the polling date.
It may be mentioned here that only a day ago, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had already demanded the ECP to extend the last date set for filing nomination papers.
In a letter to the chief election commissioner (CEC), Senator Kamran Murtaza of the JUI-F said that the ECP released the election schedule on the order of the Supreme Court. “Under section 58 of the Election Act, the election commission can introduce changes to the schedule,” the senator wrote.
He argued that since political parties have to distribute tickets among the candidates; therefore, the ECP is requested to extend the deadline by three days. “This will facilitate the JUI-F and other parties to choose better candidates for the polls,” he said and added “However, the duration set for the scrutiny of these papers may be reduced from seven to four days since this will ensure voting on February 8.”
On the other hand, MQM-P, too, had requested the ECP to extend the deadline.
In his letter to the CEC, party convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that three days are not enough for the submission of nomination papers. “This will deprive a large number of people the opportunity to contest the elections since they will not be able to submit their papers within the deadline,” he said, adding, “Therefore, the election commission is requested to extend the deadline under section 58 (1) of its Act, 2017.”
Reporter Usman Khan