Interior Ministry objects to Milli Muslim League contesting NA-120 by-poll: sources
The ministry conveys its objection to the Election Commission of Pakistan through a letter
September 13, 2017
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Ministry of Interior has objected to the candidature of Milli Muslim League nominee Mohammad Yaqoob Sheikh in NA-120 by-election, sources told Geo News Wednesday.
The ministry conveyed its objection to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) through a letter, according to sources.
Sheikh is affiliated with Jamaat-ud-Daa'wa (JuD) and his party got registered under a new name to contest the election, the letter read.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sheikh's party, the JuD, is under scrutiny after the Interior Ministry listed in the Second Schedule of the ATA 1997 in January, this year.
Sheikh is contesting the NA-120 by-election on the electoral symbol of an 'energy saver'.
Sources further informed that Sheikh's party has not been formally registered with the election commission.
The MML has already shown its presence in NA-120 and decided to oppose Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Kulsoom Nawaz.
Interestingly, sources in the JuD say the MML opposition to Kulsoom is not because she is a woman but because they are against the PML-N politics and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
"We have a lot of respect for Mrs. Nawaz and we are not opposing her but are opposing the PML-N," a party source said.
The party held its first corner meeting in the constituency in August.
The NA-120 seat fell vacant following the disqualification of Nawaz as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28. In the 2013 General Elections, Nawaz had won the seat by a substantial margin, defeating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Yasmin Rashid, who will be contesting for the seat this time around too
