Haleem Asad
LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief and former senator Sirajul Haq submitted his nomination papers from his home town for NA 6 here on Friday. He was accompanied by the JI workers from the Balambat Ahya ul Uloom where he offered Friday prayer. The JI chief along with a large number of party workers presented his nomination papers to Dr Nida Iqbal, the returning officer for NA 6 Lower Dir. The JI nominated candidate for NA 7 Maulana Muhammad Ismail was also present on the occasion.
Talking to local journalists the JI chief said the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ended all speculations regarding the general elections. He said that free, fair and transparent elections were the only solution to all the problems faced by the nation. He said the ECP and the caretaker government both were duty bound to hold general elections on time. The JI chief demanded the ECP to provide level playing fields to all political parties. “It will be a selection rather than election if all political parties are not provided with equal opportunities to contest the general elections”, Siraj said, adding the ECP should quash the perception of pre-polls’ rigging in the country. He said the courts should decide the cases of elements involved in the May 9 riots with merit and justice. The JI chief said the May 9 riots were condemnable and the people involved in targeting the state installations should be punished according to the law.
Also in the day the JI nominated candidate for PK 14 Sahibzada Yaqub Khan, for PK 15 Azizullah Khan, for PK 16 Shad Nawaz Khan, for PK 17 Izazul Mulk Afkari and for PK 18 Saeed Gul submitted their papers with the concerned ROs.
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Majority of the nominated candidates in Lower Dir submitted their nomination papers for two national and five provincial assembly seats here on Friday. The ANP district president and former MPA Haji Bahadar Khan submitted his papers for NA 6, central spokesman Zahid Khan for NA 7, Malik Muhammad Zeb for PK 14, Wasil Khan for PK 15, Malik Sajjad Yousafzai for PK 16, Haji Bahadar Khan for PK 17 and Kifayat Khilji for PK 18.
The PPP leader advocate Shahid Khan submitted his papers for NA 7, former minister of state Malik Azmat Khan for NA 7, advocate Muhammad Zamin for PK 14, Naeemullah Khan for PK 15and Kamran Zeb for PK 16. Similarly the PTI former lawmakers including Bashir Khan submitted his nomination papers for NA 6, former MPA Humayun Khan for PK 15, Malik Inam Khan for 16 and Abdullah Shah for PK 18.
The PTI-P leader Brigadier retired Saeedullah submitted his nomination papers for PK 14 and former provincial minister for finance Muzafar Syed advocate for PK 16.
According to the amended schedule of the ECP, the party candidate can submit their papers till Dec 24 and the final list of the candidates would be displayed on that date.
