Thursday, May 15, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1429    

More than 51 candidates file nomination papers

Lahore—For contesting the by-elections from two national and two provincial constituencies, more than 51 candidates filed their nomination papers before Returning Officers (RO) Tuesday on the last date of filing papers for by-elections.
By-election will be held in the constituencies NA-119, NA-123 and PP-141,PP-154 according to the schedule of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
PML-N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif filed his nomination papers for contesting polls from NA-123 while PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif had already filed papers from PP-141 and PP-154 Lahore.
Provincial Excise & Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur- Rehman had filed his papers from PP-141 and Mian Muhammad Hamza Shahbaz Sharif filed nomination papers from NA-119 Lahore.
On the last date of filing papers for by-elections in Lahore, nine candidates including Hamza Shahbaz Sharif filed papers for contesting polls from NA-119 while eleven candidates including Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mujataba Shuja-ur- Rehman and Mian Ikhlaq Ahmad Guddoo filed their papers from NA-123.
On the provincial seats, 18 candidates including Mian Shahbaz Sharif and Mujataba Shuja-ur-Rehman filed papers from PP-141 while thirteen candidates including Zaeem Qadri of PML-N filed nomination papers for PP-154.
From May 14 to 20, the papers will be scrutinised, till May 24 the candidates will file their appeals before Election Tribunals against the decisions of ROs regarding acceptance and rejection of nomination papers while the tribunals will decide the appeals till May 31.
The candidates can withdraw their candidature till June 2 while ROs will publish the final revised list of candidates the same day.—APP