Senate election: Last date for filing nomination papers today

ECP has rejected PPP plea seeking extension in the date for filing nomination papers.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Today (Saturday) is the last day for filing of nomination papers for the upcoming Senate election. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) plea seeking extension in the date, Dunya News reported.

According to details, the names of the nominated candidates will be published on February 14, followed by the scrutiny process from February 15 to February 16.

February 17 and February 18 have been given as the dates for filing appeals against the acceptance or rejection of the nominations. The appeals will be disposed of by the tribunal on February 19 and February 20.

On February 21, a revised list of candidates will be published with February 22 as the last date for withdrawing the candidature.

Meanwhile, PTI’s parliamentary board has given final approval to the names of candidates for the Senate elections. It recommended names of Shibli Faraz, Hafeez Sheikh and other candidates for the upcoming Senate elections.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the PTI Parliamentary Board meeting during which recommendations to allot Senate tickets were made. According to sources, Shibli Faraz was recommended to be made a senator once again while Hafeez Shaikh’s name was shortlisted for a technocrat seat.

The name of Kamil Ali Agha from the coalition party was also shortlisted for the Senate election. Similarly, the names of Sania Nishtar and Dr Zarqa were also shortlisted for the women seats.

A statement issued by PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that her party’s parliamentary board had also finalized the names for tickets in the Senate.

She said that the parliamentary board has approved the names of five party leaders from Punjab province. It has been decided to give party ticket to Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar for the technocrat seat.

The names of Pervez Rashid, Mushahidullah Khan and Prof. Sajid Mir have been approved for the general seats while Barrister Sadia Abbasi was given party ticket in the women’s seat.

Meanwhile, the PPP and GDA have also finalized the names of their Senate candidates while MQM Coordination Committee is still considering the names of the possible candidates.

According to spokesperson Bilawal House, the PPP Parliamentary Board has finalized the names of Senate candidates.

Jam Mehtab Dahir, Taj Haider, Saleem Mandviwalla, Sherry Rehman and Shahadat Awan are the PPP candidates for the general seats from Sindh.

Palwasha Khan and Khairul Nisa Mughal will be the candidates for the two reserved seats for women while Rukhsana Shah will be the alternate candidate. Farooq H. Naik, Dr Karim Khawaja and Shahadat Awan will contest from Sindh for the two technocrat seats. Azeem-ul-Haq Minhas from Punjab will be the candidate for the general seat.

According to Bilawal House spokesperson, it has been suggested that Yousaf Raza Gillani from Islamabad and Farhatullah Babar from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa be the joint candidates of Pakistan Democratic Movement.

The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) has nominated Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashidi as the unanimous candidate.

On the other hand, the MQM Coordinating Committee is considering the names of Faisal Sabzwari, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor and Wasim Akhtar for the general seat.

Rauf Siddiqui, Iqbal Qadri and Shahab Imam are under consideration for the technocrat seat while Nasreen Jalil and Saman Jafari are being considered for the women’s seat. MQM senators Mian Atiq, Khushbakht Shujaat, Nighat Mirza Hina and Barrister Saif are due to retire after completing their terms.

Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced Haji Hidayatullah as the general seat candidate and Dr Shaukat Jamal Amirzada will be the technocrat candidate. Dr. Taslim Begum will be the ANP candidate for the women’s seat and Asif Bhatti will be the candidate for the minority seat.