Islamabad:Election Commission of Pakistan has started the process of scrutiny of nomination papers filed for the Senate elections.
A total of one hundred and seventy candidates have filed their nomination papers with the Election Commission of Pakistan. These include twenty-nine from Punjab, thirty-nine from Sindh, fifty-one from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, forty-one from Balochistan and ten from the federal capital.
The process of scrutiny of nomination papers will continue till tomorrow.
PPP’s Sherry Rehman’s nomination papers were accepted for the general seat and Palwasha Khan’s for the women’s seat.
The nomination papers of PPP’s Saleem Mandviwala and Sadiq Memon have also been accepted.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has reached the Election Commission office along with PPP nominees Sherry Rehman, Palwasha Khan, Saleem Mandviwala, and other leaders contending for the upcoming senate elections.
Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, and others are also present at the ECP office.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other departments have been contacted for assistance while the candidates have also been directed to bring along their party tickets.
On the other hand, nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Fozia Arshad, Zarqa Taimur and Federal Minister for Finance Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh have been accepted.
The commission has also approved details of Dost Ali Jaiser, Farhatullah Babar.
The ECP has rejected nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Azam Nazir Tarar and gave him time till 5:00pm to submit his party ticket.
The returning officer has also ordered the lawyer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fareed Rehman, who had raised objection over the nomination papers of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and joint candidate of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for Senate elections Yousaf Raza Gillani, to present the arguments till 3:00pm.
The candidates can file appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers on Saturday and the
last date for disposing of these appeals is 23rd February.
The revised list of candidates will be published on 24th February.
The candidates can withdraw their nomination papers on 25th of this month.
Polling on the forty-eight seats will be held on the 3rd of next month at the parliament house Islamabad and the four provincial assemblies.
A code of conduct has been prepared by the ECP to ensure transparency in the Senate polls.
It has to be followed by political parties, candidates, voters and election agents, read a statement issued by the commission.
ECP has invited political parties to consult on the code of conduct on February 22.
A code of conduct for transparency in the Senate elections will be issued after consultation, the statement notified.