Maryam's nomination papers accepted for NA-125 constituency
RO dismisses all objections against former PM Nawaz Sharif's daughter
June 18, 2018
LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz was cleared to contest elections from Lahore's NA-125 constituency on Monday after the returning officer (RO) accepted her nomination papers.
The decision came as RO Asif Bashir dismissed all objections raised during scrutiny of her nomination papers.
Maryam is expected to contest on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's ticket to contest the July 25 general elections from Lahore's NA-125 and NA-127 constituency.
The NA-125 constituency, situated in the heart of Lahore, was the NA-120 constituency prior to the new delmitation of constituencies.
NA-120 was bagged by former premier Nawaz in the 2013 elections and after his disqualification, by his wife Kulsoom Nawaz even though she did not take part in the campaign herself.
Maryam had spearheaded the NA-120 by-election camapign for her mother in 2017 following Nawaz's disqualification. At the time, Kulsoom had defeated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid by over 14,000 votes.
Dr Rashid's nomination papers for the constituency have also been approved. It was Rashid who had submitted 21 objections to Maryam's nomination.
Maryam, along with her father and husban, is facing a corruption reference in the accountability court of Islamabad in light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case last year.
She is presently in London along with her father tending to Kulsoom who has been in the UK since August last year after being diagnosed with throat cancer.
Scrutiny of other candidates
Moreover, during scrutiny of nomination papers across the country today, the nomination papers of PML-N's Abid Sher Ali, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Shahla Raza and Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Rauf Siddiqui and Kamran Tessori were also approved.
Ali, the former state minister for power, is contesting from Faisalabad’s NA-108 constituency while Raza, the former deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly, is contesting from Karachi’s NA-243 constituency.
Similarly, in Khairpur, the nomination papers of PPP's Nafisa Shah (NA-280) and former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah (PS-26) were approved by the RO today.
Moreover, former NA speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza’s nomination papers were accepted from NA-230 in Badin as were those of PPP’s Rasool Bux Chandio.
A spokesperson for the ECP said the time to complete scrutiny of nomination papers is until tomorrow evening and there is no plan to extend the time period.
In NA-213 Nawabshah, the objections against former president and PPP supremo Asif Ali Zardari were taken back.
Elections schedule
ROs across the country are set to complete the scrutiny of nomination papers on June 19 as per the revised election schedule.
The last date for filing appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers by the ROs is June 22 whereas the last date for a decision on the appeals by election tribunals is June 27.
Similarly, the revised lists of nominated candidates will be published on June 28 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be June 29.
Moreover, the date for allocation of electoral symbols and publication of the final list of contesting candidates will be June 30.
