Afaq, Ghani’s forms accepted as RO rules Patel has failed to meet Article 62 requirements

The scrutiny of the nomination forms submitted by candidates aspiring to contest the upcoming general elections continued on its second day on Wednesday when the nomination forms of Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed as well as of leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were accepted on Wednesday.

The returning officer for District South also issued his verdict on PPP leader Qadir Patel’s nomination forms that were rejected on Monday.

The order read that Patel did not fulfil the requirements of Article 62 (Qualification for membership of Majlis-e-Shoora Parliament) of the constitution. It stated that he did not declare his assets, details of his foreign tours and expenditure on them correctly.

According to the ECP schedule, the scrutiny of nomination forms, which started on Tuesday, will continue till June 19. The aspirants can file their appeals against the returning officers’ decision by June 22.

The last date to move the appellate tribunal is June 27. The revised list will be issued on June 28. The last date for withdrawal of the nomination is June 29, and the election symbols will be allotted on June 30.

According to unofficial reports, around 570 forms have been received for 21 National Assembly (NA) seats and more than 1,200 for 44 Sindh Assembly (PS) seats in Karachi. Similarly, 76 forms have been for filed for reserved seats for women in the National Assembly, 213 forms for the same seats in the Sindh Assembly and another 110 forms for the reserved seats for minorities in the provincial assembly.

Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed’s nomination papers for NA-240 (Korangi-II) and NA-254 (Central-II) were accepted. This is the first time in years that he is contesting elections. He remained in jail for more than seven years between 2004 and 2011.

Talking to the media after the scrutiny of his forms, he said that the mandate of Karachi was likely to shift this time from the hands of the traditional keepers.

The returning officers also approved Pakistan Peoples Party leader Saeed Ghani’s nomination forms for N-244 (East-III) and PS-104 (East-VI). Ghani, his party’s focal person in the metropolis, said that given the circumstances the PPP may face competition from the MQM only if its splinter groups united.

He said that the people of the city would repose their confidence in Bilawal Bhutto Zardari by electing him and his team to the government.

The nomination forms of Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan’s Aminul Haque for NA-252 (West-V) and Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan for NA-240 (Korangi-II), Pak Sarzameen Party’s Ashaq Mangi for NA-239 (Korangi-I) and Hassan Sabir for NA-242 (East-I), Pakistan Muslim Leage-Nawaz’s Maulana Tanveerul Haq Thanvi for NA-253 (Central-I), and Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan’s Tahir Iqbal for NA-241 (Korangi-III) were also approved.