The Pakistan Election Commission (ECP) has rejected the nomination papers of over 3,000 candidates for the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024. According to official data released by the ECP, 1,024 candidates were declared ineligible for the national assembly elections, while 2,216 individuals failed to secure approval for the provincial assembly race.
Out of the 25,951 nominations filed by candidates, the Returning Officers (ROs) accepted 22,711. For the National Assembly, 6,449 candidates received approval, while 1,024 faced rejection. The ROs accepted 16,262 nominations for various provincial assembly seats.
The highest number of rejections for National Assembly nominations occurred in Punjab (521), followed by Sindh (166), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (152), Balochistan (92), and Islamabad Capital Territory (93).
For provincial assembly seats, the ROs rejected 943 candidates in Punjab, 520 in Sindh, 386 in Balochistan, and 367 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, making a total of 2,216 rejections.
The next phase of the election process allows for appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers, which can be submitted until Wednesday. Decisions on these appeals will be made by the 10th of this month. Following that, the preliminary list of candidates will be displayed on the 11th, and candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by the 12th. The allotment of electoral symbols will take place on the 13th, with polling for the general elections scheduled for the 8th of next month.
In a significant blow to Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ECP also rejected his nomination papers for the upcoming elections. Despite being disqualified from contesting, Khan submitted his nomination papers from his home constituency in Mianwali. This move has attracted criticism and raised eyebrows.
In another development, the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political entity led by Hafiz Saeed, has fielded candidates for every national and provincial assembly constituency across Pakistan for the upcoming elections. Hafiz Saeed’s son, Talha Saeed, is also among the candidates running for the National Assembly’s constituency NA-127, Lahore, while PMML’s central president Khalid Masood Sindhu is taking part from NA-130, challenging former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Hafiz Saeed, who has been in jail since July 2019 on other charges, was sentenced in April 2022 to 33 years in prison for financing terrorism. Despite being designated a terrorist by the United Nations and the European Union, Saeed had not been charged or extradited for nearly two decades.
India has also made a request to the Pakistani government for the extradition of Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, to face trial in India. The request was accompanied by all appropriate supporting documents.
With the rejection of thousands of nominations and several political figures facing scrutiny, the upcoming general elections in Pakistan are shaping up to be a highly anticipated and closely watched event.
Please note: This article contains factual information reported by various news sources and does not aim to promote or endorse any political party or individual involved.
