Zubair Qureshi
With the extended time for submission of the nomination papers for the 2024 general elections coming to a close on Sunday, 4:30 p.m., 160 applications were received for the three National Assembly (NA) constituencies of Islamabad, namely NA-46 (Islamabad-I), NA-47 (Islamabad-II) and NA-48 (Islamabad-III). A scrutiny of the names reveals that In Islamabad, an overwhelming number of practicing lawyers have submitted their nomination papers for the three National Assembly seats. The list includes a number of prominent lawyers of the Islamabad District and the High Court Bars for instance, Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf Gujjar, Shoaib Shaheen, Niaz Ullah Niazi, Sardar Masroof Advocate and many others.
Majority of these candidates, interestingly, belong to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Insaf Lawyers Wing and they have been representing the former Prime Minister and Founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan in different trial or higher courts.
Apart from the PTI’s candidates, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) candidates also submitted their papers. Among the PML-N and the PPP heavyweights who are aspiring for the NA seats from Islamabad include former Federal Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, former MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan, former Mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz, former Deputy Mayor Syed Zeshan Naqvi, and Pir Syed Adil Gilani.
The PPPP candidates are Syed Sibtul Haider Bukhari, the brother of former Senate chairman Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Raja Imran Ashraf, brother of the Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf and others.
Among the non-political candidates, is Nayab Ali, a vocal advocate of trans-persons’ rights and a young rights worker, Sania Younis (on minority seat). Sania Younis has been running her campaign in Islamabad’s slums where majority of the non-Muslim families are living. Nayab has submitted her nomination papers for two constituencies, NA-46 and NA-47.
A retired officer of the CDA and a vocal supporter of the PTI, Syed Mustafain Kazmi has also submitted papers from NA-46 and NA-47.
The fee for the submission of the nomination papers is Rs30,000 which is non-refundable. According to the ECP rules, the candidate must attach a certified copy of the CNIC of his recommender and endorser along with the nomination paper.
The nomination fee from the candidate can be paid in cash directly to ROs, by bank draft in the name of the ROs, or at any National Bank Branch. For the election expenses, the candidate has to either open an exclusive bank account in any scheduled bank or submit details of the existing bank account with the nomination papers.
