Nawaz Sharif's namesake submits nomination papers for Lahore by-election

LAHORE: Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s namesake has submitted his papers for the NA-120 by-election in Lahore, ARY News reported. 

At least 64 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for the by-election. The main contest is between ex-PM’s wife Kulsoom Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Yasmin Rashid.

Interestingly, an independent candidate named Muhammad Nawaz Sharif son of Muhammad Sharif and brother of Shahbaz Sharif has also submitted his nomination papers for the by-election.

This candidate hails from Qasur district and is under the age of 25, hence, according to the returning officer, his nomination papers would be rejected as according to law the candidate must be a voter of NA-120 constituency.

The other Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) candidate who has submitted nomination papers is Hafiz Noman and from PTI the other candidate is Andaleeb Abbas. While Pakistan Peoples Party’s Faisal Mir, Zubair Kardar, Azizur Rehman Chan and Sajida Mir, PPP Shaheed Bhutto Group’s Shakeel Gilani, Jamat-e-Islami’s Zikrullah Mujahid and Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s Ishtiaq Chaudhry submitted their nomination papers.

The scrutiny for the papers will be held from August 15-17, while appeals against nomination papers can be submitted till August 21. The papers can be withdrawn by August 25, while the final list of candidates will be released on August 26.

The polling for the election will be held on September 17. The seat fell vacant after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court.