Political parties start election campaign

Rawalpindi :After conclusion of the process of nomination papers, successful candidates of different political parties in Rawalpindi have started election campaign through corner meetings, hoardings, banners and door-to-door visits.

The candidates have also opened their election offices and trying to convince the citizens to poll votes for them in upcoming general election expected in July 25. The workers and supporters of different political parties have displayed banners and big pictures of their beloved leaders in the city.

As the Returning Officers (ROs) have accepted nomination papers of candidates of different political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-N, Pakistan People Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Mutihada Majlis Ammal (MMA) and Awami Muslim League (AML), supporters and workers started displaying banners and big pictures of their leaders in their areas on Wednesday.

The ROs have accepted nomination papers of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, PTI Ghulam Sarwar Khan, PML-N candidate Engineer Qamar ul Islam and independent candidate Col (r) Ajmal Sabir from NA-59.

From NA-60, the nomination forms of Awami Muslim League President Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Hanif Abbasi PML-N and Raza Ahmed Shah MMA were accepted.

Similarly, the nomination papers of 28 candidates including N league candidate Malik Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Amir Kiyani and Qasim Khan of Pakistan People Party were accepted from NA-61.

The returning officers have also accepted the nomination forms of N league candidate Barrister Danial Chaudhry, AML Chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Sheikh Nadim Ahmed Pakistan People Party from NA-62.

From PP-10, the nomination papers of 29 candidates including former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Engineer Qamar ul Islam, and Raja Kamran of Pakistan People Party were accepted by the Returning Officers (RO’s).

The nomination papers of Haji Amjad of PTI, Qasiq Qayyum Abbasi, PML-N Chaudhry Sarfraz Afzal and 19 other candidates were accepted from PP-13. The nomination papers of 32 candidates including N league’s Usama Cahudhry were accepted from PP-14.

The ROs accepted the nomination papers of some 27 candidates including PML-N’s Malik Iftikhar Ahmed and Babu Sheryar Riaz of PTI from PP-15. From PP-17, the nomination papers of total of 32 candidates including N league leader Raja Hanif Advocate, PTI’s Fayyaz Ul Hassan Chohan and Azhar Iqbal Satti were accepted.

The ROs in PP-18 have accepted the nomination papers of N league candidates Zia Ullah Shah, Malik Shakil Ahmed Awan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Ijaz Khan Jazzi and Babar Khan Jadoon of PPP besides 20 other candidates.

Chaudhry Umar Farooq’s nomination papers have also been accepted by ROs concerned after scrutiny. The nomination papers of Faisal Qayyum Malik, a Pakistan Muslim League-N candidate from PP-12, has been accepted by the RO.

Faisal Qayyum Malik will contest Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from the constituency in upcoming general elections 2018. The nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-N candidate Chaudhry Riaz were also accepted.

The nomination papers of Chuaudhry Muhammad Azeem from NA-58 while Raja Ali Asghar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ishtiaq, Chaudhry Ziafat Hussain, Raja Khuram Peraiz Ashraf and Chaudhry Javed Kasuar from PP-8 and nomination forms of Raja Hameed Advocate, Faisal Bhatti, Chaudhry Sajid Mehmood and Chaudhry Sarfraz Khan were also accepted from PP-9.

According to Election Commission of Pakistan, the last date for filing appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers by the returning officers is June 22. It is worth mentioning here that in coming of general elections, business of printing banners, stickers, panaflexs, hoardings and party flags is gaining momentum with every passing day. The printing shops taking orders continuously and earning money.