Nomination papers for NA Karachi seats: Sattar's rejected; Bilawal's, Shahbaz's, Imran's accepted

Nomination papers of Pakistan People's Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shahbaz Sharif for different Karachi constituencies were accepted as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) concluded the scrutiny process of nomination papers on Tuesday.
However, the nomination papers filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar for Karachi's NA-245 constituency were rejected for 'concealing' in his papers two cases in which he has been declared an absconder.
Earlier, Sattar had said he is submitting nomination papers from NA-241, NA-245 and NA-247.
Bilawal had filed nomination papers for NA-246 Karachi, while PTI Chief Imran Khan filed his papers to contest from NA-243. Earlier, Abdul Wahab Baloch had challenged Khan's nomination papers to contest from the said constituency with the relevant RO, citing the Sita White case. However, the RO rejected the complaint.
Meanwhile, nomination forms of social activist Jibran Nasir were also accepted, who will be contesting the election as an independent candidate from NA-247 Karachi.
Similarly, the nomination papers of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leader Arshad Vohra for NA-254 Karachi and NA-255 Karachi were also approved. PSP's Fauzia Kasuri also had her nomination papers accepted for NA-247 Karachi.
Meanwhile, nomination papers of Pak Sarzameen Party leader Arshad Vohra for NA-254 Karachi and NA-255 Karachi have also been approved.
PML-N president and former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif's nomination papers for NA-249 Karachi and NA-250 Karachi were also accepted by the ROs. Reports have suggested that a total of 21,482 nomination papers have been filed across the country for national and provincial assemblies, according to the electoral body. At least 6,063 candidates will contest for the 342 seats of the National Assembly, while 15,419 hopefuls have filed nomination papers for provincial assembly seats.
The election schedule states that appeals against rejection or acceptance of nomination papers can be filed by June 22. Decisions on appeals will be made by June 27, after which a final list of candidates will be shared on June 28.
Returning Officers on Monday had accepted the nomination papers of PPP leader Shehla Raza, PTI's Amir Liaqat and MQM's Kamran Tissori to contest the elections. Also the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League's (PML-N's) Kausar Shaheen were also accepted from PS-127 constituency.
MQM's candidate Kamran Tissori will contest the polls from two provincial slots - PS-104 and PS-127. Mehboob Abbasi of PTI would contest from PS-100.
PTI leader Aamir Liaquat Hussain will be contesting from Karachi's NA-245 constituency. Asghar Bihari of PPP has also been cleared to contest the election in the same constituency.
For NA-239 seat, the papers of MQM's Farrukh Raza Advocate, PPP's Imran Abidi were accepted. Similarly, PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh's nomination papers for PS-99 were accepted. For NA-244 constituency, MQM leader Rauf Siddiqui, PPS's Sabir Gola, and an independent Shoukat Khokhar have been cleared by ROs.
For PS-126, Muhajir Ittehad Tehreek's candidate Fareed Khan and PPP's Farrukh Tanoli's nomination papers were rejected by ROs. The nomination papers of Shah Jahan Baloch, an independent candidate from PS-108 slot, were also accepted on Tuesday.