Responding to requests from several political parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced a two-day extension for filing nomination papers for the upcoming elections.
Per Friday’s ECP’s revised statement, candidates have until December 24 to submit their nomination papers. This extension also applies to submitting priority lists for reserved seats by political parties. The new schedule sets the scrutiny of nomination papers from December 25 to December 30, adjusting the earlier plan where nominations were to be received from December 20 to 22.
Following the initial schedule announcement, political parties like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), PML-N, and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) appealed to the Election Commission for more time to file nominations.
Political Reactions to the Extension
Senator Ishaq Dar of PML-N, in his appeal to the chief election commissioner (CEC), highlighted the necessity of a two-day extension, citing the comprehensive nature of the nomination process, which includes gathering multiple details and annexing various documents, including no-objection certificates (NOCs) from public sector departments. He emphasized that this process is time-consuming and that any oversight could result in the rejection of nomination papers.
Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar criticized the ECP’s decision to extend the deadline, suggesting favouritism towards PML-N. He expressed his views on social media, indicating a perceived bias in the judiciary and Election Commission towards the PML-N.
