Electoral scrutiny: SBP, PTCL declare numerous bigwigs defaulters

ISLAMABAD: The scrutiny of nomination papers has brought several political big shots into hot water who were aspiring to be election candidates for 2018 general elections.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has pronounced more than 100 elections candidates as its defaulter whereas, 1514 candidates are declared nonpayers by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) during the scrutiny process of nomination papers which was initiated on June 12.

The defaulters’ list issued by SBP, which has reportedly been sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), bears the names of heavyweights like PPP’s Hina Rabbani Khar, Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo and PTI’s Faisal Vawda— a hopeful from NA-143, NA-144 and NA-249 respectively.

Ahmed Shah Khagga (PP-193), Ghulam Ahmed Shah (PP-193), Asim Irshad Khan (NA-124), Ameer Ahmed Siyal (NA-116), Khalid Masood (NA-30), Abdul Sattar Bachani and Zulfiqar Bachani (both from NA-224), Ameer Waliuddin Chishti (NA-256), Ayaz Khan (NA-257) and Changez Khan (NA-258) are also among the defaulters, as per ARY News sources.

Azhar Khokhar (NA-52), Zainab Ahsan (PP-109), Umar Farooq (PP-113), Mushtaq Ahmed (PP-136), Ali Asim Shah (PP-185), Muhammad Ali Tarkai (PK-46) and Chaudhry Shakeel Gulzar (PP-66) also owe the State Bank of Pakistan.

PTCL defaulters:

The defaulters list of PTCL has the names of 1514 candidates who have not paid their bills to the national telecommunication company from the duration of three months to five years.

The debtors of PTCL include Zafarullah Jamali (Rs 1,055), Murad Saeed (Rs14,000), Faisal Kareem Kundi (Rs21,000), Ejaz Chaudhry (Rs33,521) and Syed Zafar Ali Shah (Rs18,000) among others.