Lahore/Quetta/Rawalpindi/Karachi: The 2024 general elections are progressing as the deadline for submitting nomination papers for national and provincial constituencies ended on Sunday. Many well-known politicians have entered the electoral race.
The Election Commission of Pakistan will make the final lists of eligible candidates public after completing the scrutiny process. Tough contests are expected in various constituencies.
In Punjab, about 600 candidates, including Atta Tarar (PML-N), Ijaz Buttar (PTI), and Asif Hashmi (PPP), filed nomination papers for Lahore’s 14 NA and 30 provincial constituencies. Prominent figures like Hamza Shehbaz, Maryam Nawaz, Imran Khan, and Shehbaz Sharif are also in the fray.
In Rawalpindi, 228 people submitted papers for seven NA and 13 provincial assembly seats. Bigwigs like Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, and others filed their nominations.
Sindh witnessed around 2,850 nomination papers submitted for 22 NA and 47 Sindh assembly seats in Karachi. Notable candidates include MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, PTI leader Syed Firdous Shamim Naqvi, and MQM-P leader Arshad Vohra.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI leaders Azam Swati and Murad Saeed filed papers for NA-15 Mansehra and NA-3 and NA-4 seats. Balochistan saw over 1,600 candidates submitting papers for 16 NA and 51 provincial assembly seats, with key figures like Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Sadiq Sanjrani, and Akhtar Mengal in the race.
The Election Commission has set up appellate tribunals to handle appeals against the decisions of returning officers regarding the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers. These tribunals will cover National Assembly, provincial assembly constituencies, and seats reserved for women and non-Muslims.