PESHAWAR: Around 50 nomination papers have so far been filed with the returning officers for the five National Assembly and 14 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly seats in the provincial capital as the Election Commission of Pakistan has extended the last date for filing of nomination papers to June 11.

Similarly, 163 nomination papers have been filed by candidates against three categories of reserved seats, including nine National Assembly seats reserved for women in KP; 22 seats reserved for women in KP Assembly; and three seats reserved for non-Muslims in KP Assembly.

The candidates for reserved seats filed nomination papers with the Provincial Election Commissioner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pir Maqbool Ahmad, who is the returning officer for these seats.

Awami National Party leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour filed nomination papers for NA-31, Peshawar-V constituency. Former senator Ilyas Bilour and ex-nazim of town-III Haroon Bilour also filed papers for the said constituency.

PTI’s Shah Farman and ANP’s Khushdil Khan filed nomination papers for the provincial assembly constituencies.

Two candidates of Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan Liaquat Ali and Mohammad Shafiq filed nomination papers for NA-28 and NA-29 constituencies, respectively.

Ex-MNA Naeema Kishwar of JUI-F filed papers for seats reserved for women in the National Assembly.

According to the schedule, scrutiny of nomination papers will take place till June 14. June 19 is the last date for filing of appeals against the decisions of returning officers whereas June 26 would be the last date for deciding the appeals by appellate tribunal.

The revised list of candidates will be made public on June 27 and the date for withdrawal of nomination papers will be June 28. Allocation of symbols and list of contesting candidates will be issued on June 29.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2018