Nomination papers for election 2024: who made the cut and who faced the axe

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan prepares for the general election 2024, the nomination papers of several candidates, including former PTI chairman Imran Khan, have been rejected by the returning officers, prompting PTI to announce its intention to approach the court against the decision.

Imran Khan has been barred from contesting the general election 2024 in Pakistan, as his nomination papers for Lahore Constituency NA-122 and Mianwali’s NA-89 were rejected by the returning officers.

The decision came after objections were raised by PML-N leader Mian Naseer, who claimed that the founder proposed names/candidates to second him in NA-122 were not affiliated with the party. Naseer also argued that Imran Khan was a convict in the Tosha Khana case.

On the other hand, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers for Lahore constituency NA-130 were accepted without any objections. Similarly, the nomination papers of Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto were also approved. Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto received approval for his candidacy in NA-127.

Accepted nomination papers

Several prominent figures, including Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shahbaz, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Aleem Khan, Liaquat Baloch and Ejaz Chaudhry, are also confirmed candidates for the National Assembly from Lahore.

The nomination papers Khawaja Saad Rafique, Sardar Latif Khosa Advocate, Azhar Siddique Advocate, Khawaja Salman Rafique, and Humayun Akhtar Khan, Abrarul Haque, Farrukh Habib and PTI’s Jahanzeb Imtiaz Gul, PTI’s Azam Khan Niazi and Bajash Niazi,  IPP’s Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan, PTIP’s Pervez Khattak and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Rana Sanaullah and Khawaja Asif, PTI Amir Dogar, Latif Khosa, Salman Akram Raja, Usman Buzdar, Hamza Shahbaz, Chaudhry Nisar, Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Nadeem Afzal Chan were accepted.

The nomination papers of PML-N’s Tariq Fazal Chaudhary and Sheikh Ansar, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Babar Awaan were accepted from Islamabad.

Rejected nomination papers

The nomination papers of several prominent candidates were rejected by the returning officers for various reasons. Some of the notable rejections are as follows:

In Punjab

The nomination papers of Sheikh Rashid and his nephew Rashid Shafiq from Rawalpindi, Khurram Latif Khosa from Lahore, Hamad Azhar from PP-172, Dr. Yasmin Rashid from NA-130, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his son Zain Qureshi from Tharparkar, Naeem Panjotha from NA-82, Irfanullah Niazi and Rafiq Khan Niazi from PP-90, Pervaiz Zalhi, Zartaj Gul, Fawad Chaudhary and his wife Hiba, Zulfi Bukhari, and Ayaz Amir were rejected.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The nomination papers of former NA speaker Asad Qaiser, Murad Saeed, Saleem-ur-Rehman, Fazal Hakeem, and Dr. Amjad from Swat, and Sher Ali Arbab and Shandana Gulzar from Peshawar were rejected. Ali Mohammad Khan, Azam Swati, Ali Amin Gandapur, Shahram Tarakai, Shahid Khattak, Atif Khan, and Taimur Saleem Jhagra also faced rejection.

In Balochistan

The nomination papers of Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Nawab Ayaz Jogizai, Khushal Kakar, Adil Bazai, and Aurangzeb Jogizai were rejected.

In Sindh

The nomination papers of Dr Fahmida Mirza, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, Husam Mirza, Mirza Akhtar Baig, Zakaria Usman, and Khurram Sher Zaman were rejected.

Candidates to file appeals in election tribunals from today

The candidates for the general elections 2024 in Pakistan who are unhappy with the decisions of the returning officers regarding their nomination papers can file appeals in the election tribunals from today (Sunday).

The returning officers completed the scrutiny of the nomination papers on Saturday evening and released the lists of the candidates whose papers were approved. The candidates whose papers were rejected or whose objections against the opposing candidates were dismissed can challenge the decisions in the election tribunals.

The candidates can file appeals against the rejection of their papers till January 3, and the tribunal will decide on the appeals till January 10.

The candidates can withdraw their papers till January 12, and the election symbols will be given to them on January 13. The elections will be held on February 8.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced to go to court against the rejection of its candidates’ papers. The party spokesperson said that the PTI will not retreat from the field, and urged the Supreme Court to take notice of the situation to protect the country’s reputation, identity, and democracy.

He said that there is no such tactic left that has not been used against PTI so far.