Battle lines are drawn as parties finalise NA, PA candidates

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Political parties finalised their candidates and issued their lists here on Friday, a day prior to the allotment of electoral symbols to candidates on January 13. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) despatched lists of electoral symbols to the returning officers, who would allot these symbols to 145 political parties’ candidates on January 13 as per the election schedule.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is among over a dozen political parties which have not been named in the list of election symbols.

The ECP has also sent a list of 177 separate election symbols for independent candidates, directing the returning officers not to allot symbols to candidates other than those mentioned in the list.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) finally decided the party tickets for Lahore and some other contentious constituencies in Punjab. According to the party decision, made public on Friday, senior party leader Sheikh Rohail Asghar would contest from NA-121 Lahore, while Ayaz Sadiq, who was also jostling for the same constituency, would be in the field from NA-120 with the party ticket. With hopes for another big contest in Lahore, the PMLN has fielded former minister Attaullah Tarar against PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari in NA-127.

According to a message posted by party leader Ishaq Dar on his official X handle, other main leaders, who have been issued the NA tickets in Lahore include PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif (NA-130), President Shehbaz Sharif (NA-123), Hamza Shehbaz (NA-118), Maryam Nawaz (NA-119, NA-159) and Khawaja Saad Rafique (NA-122), among others. For the provincial assembly seats, Shehbaz would also contest from PP-164 and PP-158, while Hamza and Maryam would fight for a seat in the PP-147 and PP-159 constituencies, respectively.

Meanwhile, the party awarded the PP-151 ticket to Sohail Shaukat Butt, who also wished to contest polls from the NA-120 constituency. He would now withdraw his nomination papers on the party direction. For Lahore district, the party issued provincial assembly tickets to Samiullah Khan from PP-145, Ghazali Saleem Butt from PP-146, Mujtaba Shujaur Rahman PP-148 and Rana Ahsan Sharaft PP-170, Khawaja Imran Nazir PP-150, Sohail Shaukat Butt PP-151, Malik Muhammad Waheed PP-152, Malik Ghulam Habib Awan PP-154, Naeem Shahzad PP-155 and Shehbaz Sharif from PP-158.

From PP-153, ticket was issued to Khawaja Salman Rafique, Muhammad Yasin Aamir PP-156, Naseer Ahmed PP-157, Malik Asad Ali PP-160, Maryam Nawaz PP-159, Imran Javed PP-163 and Shehbaz Sharif from PP-164. A party ticket was issued to Shahzad Nazir from PP-165, Muhammad Anas Mehmood PP-166, Irfan Shafi Khokhar PP-167, Faisal Ayub PP-168, Umar Sohail Zia Butt PP-161, Malik Khalid Parvez Khokhar PP-169 and Mehar Ishtiaq Ahmed from PP-171. From PP-172, the ticket was issued to Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Mian Marghoob from PP-173, Bilal Yasin PP-174 and Shehbaz Ali Khokhar from PP-162.

Sources said the PMLN decided to give Senate ticket to party leader Talal Chaudhry, as well as two provincial assembly tickets to his father Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry (PP-101) and his nominee Khan Bahadur Dogar (PP-100). Malik Nawaz would be made the mayor of Faisalabad, according to the party leaders’ decision.

Jhang correspondent adds: The PMLN Friday issued a supplementary list comprising names of party candidates along with their constituencies. For NA-109 (Jhang urban) party ticket was issued to Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoob, and for PP-127 (Jhang urban) to Rashida Yaqoob. They are husband and wife, and both had been elected as MPAs earlier. Pakpattan correspondent adds: The PMLN issued party tickets for NA-139 constituency to Mian Ahmad Raza Maneka, for NA-140 Rana Iradat Sharif, PP-193 Mian Farooq Ahmad Maneka, PP-194 Chaudhry Javaid Ahmad, PP-195 Muhammad Kashif Chishti, PP-196 Dr Farrukh Javed and PP-197 Sardar Mansab Ali Dogar.

Toba Tek Singh correspondent adds: In Gojra, the PMLN granted ticket for NA-105 to former MNA Khalid Javed Warraich, while his son Uqba Ali Warraich was given ticket for PP-119 Gojra. In Kamalia, former federal minister Chaudhry Asadur Rehman Ramday had been given ticket by his party PMLN for NA-107. But against his will, the party awarded ticket to former MPA Nazia Raheel Gujjar for PP-123.

The PMLN has fielded nine candidates in Gujranwala division’s Gujrat district which includes three candidates for the National Assembly seats and five for the provincial legislature. The candidates for the NA constituencies include Chaudhry Abid Raza (NA-62), Nawabzada Ghazanfar Ali Gul (NA-63) and Chaudhry Naseer Ahmed Abbas Siddhu (65). Meanwhile, those fielded in the provincial constituencies include Muhammad Hanif Malik (PP-27), Shabbir Ahmed (PP-28), Nawabzada Haider Mehdi (PP-29), Major (retd) Moin Nawaz Warraich (PP-30), Mohammad Ali (PP-33) and Mian Tariq Mehmood (PP-34).

The PMLQ Friday announced contesting elections without support of the PMLN as both sides could not reach an agreement over seat adjustment. PMLN had earlier assured PMLQ to support its candidates, but on NA-64, Gujrat, where Chaudhry Saalik Hussain is contesting, the PMLN fielded its candidate. When contacted, senior PMLQ leader Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema said so far there had been no decision on seat adjustment with PMLN. In either case, Cheema said he would contest the polls from NA-165 and NA-168, Bahawalpur. PMLQ alleged PMLN resorted to double standards by fielding its candidates in Gujrat.

Meanwhile, former prime minister and PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif decided not to contest from NA-242 Karachi constituency. Syed Mustafa Kamal is the MQM’s candidate from the same constituency. PMLN leader Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan informed media persons on Friday that the nomination papers of Shehbaz Sharif were being withdrawn from the NA-242 constituency. He said Khawaja Ghulam Shoaib would be the PMLN’s candidate from NA-242.

Separately, the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) announced party candidates for the NA and Provincial Assembly PA constituencies from central Punjab. According to the List, in Federal Capital Islamabad, NA-46 (ICT-I) Raja Imran Ashraf would be in the field, NA-47 (ICT-II) Syed Sibtul Haider Bokhari and from NA-48 (ICT-III) Chaudhry Asad Pervaiz has been fielded by the PPPP.

Rawalpindi: NA-54 Rawalpindi-III Syed Qamar Abbas, PP-12 Rawalpindi-VI Malik Shahid Nawaz, PP-13 Rawalpindi-VII Syed Qamar Abbas, NA-55 Rawalpindi-IV Baber Sultan Jadoon, PP-14 Rawalpindi-VIII Malik Qasim Idrees, PP-15 Rawalpindi-IX Lumbardar Inam Malik, NA-56 Rawalpindi-V Ms Sumaira Gul, PP-16 Rawalpindi-X Amir Fida Paracha, PP-17 Rawalpindi-XI Raja Aamir Kareem, NA-57 Rawalpindi-VI Mukhtar Abbas, PP-18 Rawalpindi-XII Raja Shahid Pappu, PP-19 Rawalpindi-XIII Muhammad Iqbal Khan.

Gujranwala: NA-77 Gujranwala-I Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, PP-59 Gujranwala-I Mian Saudul-Hassan, PP-70 Gujranwala-XII Amir Iftikhar Rana, NA-78 Gujranwala-II Haris Miran, PP-60 Gujranwala-II Khawaja Anwaar Ahmad Sheikh, PP-61 Gujranwala-III Khalid Hussain, NA-79 Gujranwala-III Malik Shakeelur Rehman, PP-65 Gujranwala-VII Irshad Ullah Sandhu, PP-66 Gujranwala-VIII Ali Asghar, PP-67 Gujranwala-IX Muhammad Asghar, NA-80 Gujranwala-IV Dr. Imran Rehmani, PP-62 Gujranwala-IV Muhammad Abbas Goraya, PP-63 Gujranwala-V Muhammad Faisal Iqbal, PP-64 Gujranwala-VI Ashfaq Bajwa, NA-81 Gujranwala-V Chaudhry Muhammad Malik Virk, PP-68 Gujranwala-X Muhammad Iqbal, PP-69 Gujranwala-XI, Rana Shabbir Haider.

Jhang: PP-126 Jhang-II Muhammad Mustafa, PP-131 Jhang-VII Syed Maratab Ali Shah, NA-109 Jhang-II Syed Haider Bukhari, PP-127 Jhang-III Nasir Sial, PP-128 Jhang-IV Muhammad Asif, PP-129 Jhang-V Shahbaz Ali.

Lahore: NA-117 Lahore-I Syed Asif Akhter Hashmi, PP-145 Lahore-I Rana Faqeer Hussain, PP-146 Lahore-II Omar Siddique, NA-118 Lahore-II Shahid Abbas, PP-147 Lahore-III Amir Naseer, PP-148 Lahore-IV Khawaja Abdul Rehman, NA-119 Lahore-III Iftikhar Shahid, PP-149 Lahore-V Mirza Muhammad Idrees, PP-150 Lahore-VI Waqas Ahmad, NA-120 Lahore-IV Munir Ahmad, PP-151 Lahore-VII Abdul Sattar, PP-154 Lahore-X Sufian Khalid Ghurki, NA-121 Lahore-V Iftikhar Shahid, PP-152 Lahore-VIII Ahmad Hassan Shahid, NA-122 Lahore-VI Ch. Atif Rafique, PP-156 Lahore-XII Ch. Atif Rafique, NA-123 Lahore-VII Muhammad Ziaul Haq, PP-164 Lahore-XX Ghulam Mustafa, PP-159 Lahore-XV Syed Omar Sharif Bokhari, NA-125 Lahore-IX, Ch. Abdul Ghafoor Khan PP-165 Lahore-XXI, Safdar Dilshad PP-166 Lahore-XXII Jameel Ahmad, NA-126 Lahore-X Amjad Ali, PP-167 Lahore-XXIII Syed Hassan Raza Zaidi, PP-168 Lahore-XXIV Tariq Saeed, NA-127 Lahore-XI Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PP-160 Lahore-XVI Mian Misbahur Rehman, PP-161 Lahore-XVII Faisal Mir, PP-162 Lahore-XVIII Manzar Abbas Malik, PP-157 Lahore-XIII (NA-122), Chaudhry Adnan Sarwar, PP-163 Lahore-XIX (NA-124) Muhammad Fiaz Bhatti, NA-128 Lahore-XII Adeel Ghulam Mohyuddin, PP-169 Lahore-XXV Muhammad Akram Rana, NA-129 Lahore-XIII Aurangzeb Shaffi Burki, PP-171 Lahore-XXVII Imran Dawood, PP-172 Lahore-XXVIII Asif Mahmood Nagra, NA-130 Lahore-XIV Iqbal Ahmad Khan.

At last, PTI Friday released the list of its candidates for the legislatures and several NA and PA constituencies had been marked with ‘pending’, mainly due to difference of opinion in naming candidates. Interestingly, the PTI has fielded its candidates against its erstwhile close ally Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, and his nephew Sh Rashid Shafiq, as the two sides reportedly developed differences over the last year’s May 9 mayhem.

There is no nomination pending from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, whereas in the other three provinces, scores of constituencies are still open for final nominations from the party. While senior party leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is a candidate from NA-10, Buner-I, Omar Ayub Khan is contesting from NA-18, Haripur. Murad Saeed/Kamal Khan advocate have been named candidates for NA-4, Swat-III. Former NA speaker Asad Qaiser is contesting from NA-19, Swabi-I, ex-minister Ali Muhammad Khan from NA-23, Mardan-III, Sher Afzal Marwat from NA-41, Lakki Marwat, Ali Amin Gandapur from NA-44, DIK-I. Form the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Amir Masood Mughal is fighting from NA-46, Shoaib Shaheen advocate from NA-47 and Ali Bokhari from NA-48.

In Punjab, from Attock Major Tahir Sadiq has been fielded from NA-49 and his daughter Eman Sadiq from NA-50. Raja Basharat and Shahriyar Riaz have been fielded from NA-55 and NA-56, Rawalpindi, where Sh. Rashid returned many times in the past. Senior party leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been fielded from Multan and Tharparkar.

Ayaz Amir is the PTI’s candidate for NA-58, Chakwal, Riaz Fatyna for NA-107, Sh. Waqas Akram for NA-109, Brig Ejaz Shah from NA-112, Nankana, senior lawyers Latif Khosa for NA-122 and Salman Akram Raja for NA-128 and Dr. Yasmin Rashid for NA-130, Lahore. From NA-151, Multan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi (SMQ)/Mehar Bano Qureshi have been named. Jamshaid Dasti is the PTI candidate for NA-175, Zartaj Gul for NA-185, SMQ for NA-214 and for NA-260, Ghulam Qadir Sanjrani has been fielded.

In all, naming of candidates in at least 34 NA constituencies is pending and these include mainly Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Kasur, Khanewal, Sahiwal and Pakpattan. According to the party’s list of candidates for Punjab Assembly’s constituencies, there are at 91 constituencies where PTI’s nominations are still pending whereas the returning officers will allot election symbols to candidates on January 13.

For instance, in Rawalpindi alone, among 13 provincial assembly constituencies, the party is yet to name its candidates for six constituencies. From PP-7, the party has fielded Col (retd) Shabbir Awan. However, contrary to the large number of pending nominations in Punjab constituencies, there are only eight constituencies in Sindh, where PTI is unable so far to name its contesting candidates.

Including a Hindu candidate contesting for the National Assembly seat, the PTI issued the lists for NA and Punjab Assembly candidates. Names of ticket holders on different seats would be announced once their cases were decided by the court. PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, his son Chaudhry Moonis Elahi are out of the poll race due to rejection of their papers.

For the first time, a candidate from the Hindu community has been fielded for a general seat by the PTI from Sindh i.e. Lal Chand Malhi. Lal Chand, former MNA on reserved seat, is contesting from NA-213, Umer Kot, whereas party Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been fielded from NA-214, a seat that falls in Tharparkar.

From Faisalabad, Ali Sahi, son of former Speaker Punjab Assembly Afzal Sahi has been fielded from an NA seat whereas Sahibzada Hamid Raza, son for late Sahibzada Fazal Karim, has also been awarded ticket from Faisalabad for the NA seat.

From Lahore, former PMLN MPA Wasim Qadir has been fielded from NA-121 from where he will contest against PMLN’s Sheikh Rohail Asgher whereas former Governor Punjab Mian Azhar is the party candidate from NA-129. Shafqat Mehmood, two time MNA of PTI from Lahore, withdrew his nomination papers.

The most significant decision regarding Lahore has also been made as former Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has been fielded from NA-130 against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. From NA-127, PTI has fielded former PPP MNA of 2002 who later joined PPP Patriot group, Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar. He will contest against PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PMLN’s Atta Tarar. Salman Akram Raja has also been fielded for an NA seat of Lahore. For the Punjab Assembly seats, former Provincial Ministers Mian Aslam Iqbal, Ejaz Shafi, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Malik Tanvir have been fielded as the party candidates whereas from Lahore, party workers like Yasir Gilani, Muhammad Mandi have got the tickets. According to a notification, for NA-108 (Shah Jewna/ Mochiwala) seat, former federal minister Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan, for NA-109 (Jhang urban) former federal minister Sheikh Waqas Akram and for NA-110 (Shorkot/ Ahmedpur Sial) Sahibzada Ahmed Sultan were awarded tickets of the PTI.

For Balochistan provincial assembly’s general seats, PTI has given tickets to two females, namely Zubaida Khatoon for PB-8, Sibi district, and Zulekha Aziz from PB-37, Mastung. In all, against 51 allocated constituencies of the province, it has managed to field candidates for 30 constituencies, whereas naming of candidates in 21 constituencies is pending. The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) issued party tickets to 243 candidates for 266 National Assembly seats in the country, announced JI Naib Ameer Liaquat Baloch on Friday.

Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah, he said 531 JI candidates would contest elections on 593 provincial assembly seats. He said the finalisation of tickets was done by the central parliamentary board based on recommendations from provincial and district boards. For the female quota set by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Baloch mentioned that nine women are contesting elections on National and provincial assembly seats.

The JI submitted a list of 42 women and 15 candidates on special quota for females and minorities, he said. Baloch provided details about the distribution of candidates across different provinces, stating that JI has fielded 45 contestants for 45 National Assembly seats in KP, 13 for 16 seats in Balochistan, 33 for 39 seats in interior Sindh, and 22 for 22 seats in Karachi while 128 candidates are contesting from Punjab National Assembly seats.

The GDA has handed over ticket to the Mirza family in district Badin following restoration of their nomination papers by the Sindh High Court. Sardar Rahim handed over tickets to Hasnain Ali Mirza for NA-223 Badin and Hasam Ali Mirza for NA-223 Badin, for PS-71 Badin and Ameer Hasan Panhawr for PS-72 Golarchi. The GDA also issued tickets to Mir Hussain Bakhsh Talpar for NA-222 Matli, Mansoor Nizamani for PS-68 Matli and Abdullah Talpar for PS-69 Talhar.

Also, Divisional Ameer of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Allama Muhammad Mujahid Ismail Rizvi Friday issued tickets to the party candidates in Multan.