MULTAN-The scrutiny of nomination papers filed by candidates to contest 2018 general elections has completed and the papers of former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, veteran politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and many others have been approved by the returning officers on Wednesday.
The papers of Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani were approved for NA-158 Shujabad. Similarly, the nomination papers of PML-N veteran Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, former federal minister Syed Javed Ali Shah and PTI candidate Ibrahim Khan have also been approved for the same constituency. Hashmi's papers for NA-155 have also been okayed.
The papers of PTI Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi have been approved for NA-156 and PP-217 while the papers of candidate for PML-N ticket for NA-156 Rana Shahidul Hassan, who is younger brother of Senator Rana Mehmoodul Hassan, have also been accepted.
The returning officers okayed the papers of PTI candidate for NA-155 Malik Aamir Dogar, NA-154 Ahmad Hassan Dehar and PML-N candidate Shahzad Maqbool Bhutta for the same constituency.
A total of 404 candidates for six National and 13 Provincial constituencies of Multan district had submitted nomination papers which included key political figures of the country like Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and his sons, veteran politician Makhdom Javed Hashmi, former foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his son, former minister for water Syed Javed Ali Shah, former food minister Malik Sikandar Hayat Bosan and his brother as well as many ex MNAs and MPAs.
The Election Commission sources disclosed that a total of 110 candidates submitted their nomination papers to run from six National Assembly constituencies of Multan district. Similarly, as many as 294 candidates deposited papers against 13 Provincial Assembly constituencies.
The ECP record shows that as many as 23 candidates submitted papers for NA-154, 26 NA-155, 23 NA-156, 10 Na-157, 10 NA-158 and 18 NA-159.
Similarly, 29 candidates submitted papers to contest election from PP-211, 30 PP-212, 39 PP-213, 24 PP-213, 20 PP-215, 39 PP-216, 25 PP-217, 17 PP-218, 23 PP-219, 17 PP-220, 11 PP-221, 14 PP-222 and 14 PP-223.
The ECP sources said that after the scrutiny process, the appeals against rejection or acceptance of papers would be filed till June 22 while the appellate tribunals would decide these appeals till June 27. The amended lists of the candidates will be displayed on June 28 while the candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nomination papers on June 29. The allotment of electoral signs will also take place on June 30.