ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has extended the nomination papers filing date by two days following demands from several political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

In a statement yesterday, the ECP said the candidates can now file nomination papers till December 24 and the political parties can submit a priority list for reserved seats by the same date. The electoral body said the scrutiny for nomination papers will be held from Dec 25 till Dec 30.

Earlier, the ECP had announced that the nomination papers would be received from December 20 to 22.

Subsequently, the political parties Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), PML-N and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) had approached the Election Commission for an extension in time-frame for filing the nomination papers.

Senator Ishaq Dar of the PML-N, in a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner (CEC), demanded a two-day extension in filing of nomination papers, till Dec 24, to give sufficient time to candidates for the purpose. He had noted that only three days starting from December 20 had been allocated for filing of nominations while seven days had been reserved for scrutiny of papers.

He pointed out that the process of filing of nomination requires multiple details as well as documents to be annexed with the same, which also include no objection certificates (NOCs) from various public sector departments.

“Such exercise is, indeed, time-consuming and any lapse can lead to rejection of nomination papers,” he said. Criticising the ECP’s decision, former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the polls supervisory body extended the deadline on the PML-N’s request.

The attitude of the judiciary and the Election Commission towards the PML-N is such that “no one should harass my beloved,” he wrote on his X handle.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 23 2023

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