NA-154 by-election: ECP summons candidates for scrutiny of nomination papers

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued summons to candidates of NA-154 by-election for a scrutiny of nomination papers.

According to sources at ECP, the returning officer (RO) has issued summons to as many as 14 candidates for scrutiny of the nomination papers which will be concluded on Jan 5.

The candidates will contest the by-election on February 12 for a National Assembly seat fell vacant after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Jahangir Tareen was disqualified as Member National Assembly (MNA) under Article 62(1)(F) of the constitution for non disclosure of his assets on the petition filed by PML-N’s Hanif Abbasi.

Officials said the country’s top electoral body has already approved the nomination papers of Shafique Arain, Sajid Inam, Nafeez Ahmed and Mirza Ali Beg.

Meanwhile, the returning officer has summoned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Umair Baloch and Ali Tareen of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), candidates of two arch-rival parties, on January 3 and 4 respectively.

The scrutiny process will be concluded on Jan 5 after which objections against nomination papers could be filed until Jan 9, the sources informed.

Earlier this week, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen announced nominating his son Ali Tareen as the party candidate for upcoming by-election for a National Assembly seat from Lodhran’s NA-154 constituency, fell vacant after his ouster.

Addressing the party workers and supporters at his residence in Lodhran, Tareen then said he nominated his son Ali Tareen as PTI candidate for by-election on recommendations of party workers and supporters. “I will stand by PTI and serve the people of the constituency,” he said.