On Monday, Nov 26, the first phase of the forthcoming general elections concluded with the obtaining of nomination papers from returning officers from all over the country and their resultant filing with the respective returning officers and deputy returning officers by the aspirant candidates.
Although the first phase of the election stand completed, all opposition parties sans JUI and PPP, are yet in virtual fix regarding participation in the forthcoming polls.
Although the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) has announced that it would boycott the general elections. It gave the government four-days deadline to lift emergency, withdraw PCO, restore Constitution and reinstate the pre-Nov 3 judiciary, besides releasing all political prisoners and lawyers and lift the curbs clamped down on media under the emergency rule.
The deadline given by the APDM has already expired with not even a single demand being met. The question that arises here is, whether the APDM would go by its announced decision to boycott the polls, or participate contrary to its decision.
The notions being expressed by the APDM leaders indicate that they are still indecisive regarding to participate or boycott the polls. Only Pakistan Tehrik Insaf led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has categorically announced to stay away from the January 3 elections without restoration of pre-emergency judiciary and the Constitution. He on Monday tore into pieces the nomination paper obtained for him, as a mark of his firm resolve not to be part of, what he termed, a farce and drama being staged by General Musharraf and his cronies in the name of elections.
All the component parties of APDM have filed nomination papers of their candidates for the upcoming polls.
The case of JUI and PPP is different, as both seem determined to participate in the polls at any cost. Many political observers believe that they have been held out some-behind the scene assurance by the establishment led by General Musharraf having US backing.
PPP says that it is going to participate in the elections as a protest, saying it believes that under the emergency rule and under suspended Constitution elections could not be free and fair.
It is a unique way of registering protest; PPP is going to register by giving credibility to a dubious exercise being staged in the name of elections. We have heard and seen that if someone has reservations about electioneering process that it could not be held in free, fair and transparent manner then it stays away from the exercise to lodge a strong protest.
A day before the arrival of US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, PPP chairperson announced in categorical terms that under the present circumstances elections would be rigged and could not be free, fair and impartial and PPP would definitely opt boycotting them. She also announced to contact opposition parties leader for evolving a joint strategy regarding boycott of the polls. But a single call from US top envoy made her change her mind and she announced to participate in the poll as a 'protest'.
Many political analysts believe that US restrained PPP from boycotting the polls. Benazir Bhutto is seen, as a key player in the 'dream-team' the US is striving to establish here after the elections, what most people say would carry forward the US agenda in Pakistan.
The APDM parties are also in a state of confusion. PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif after his homecoming following eight-years long exile did not immediately endorsed the APDM decision to boycott polls. He said that he would take a decision to this affect after taking the people into confidence. APDM top brass is going for another session on Thursday, Nov 29 for a 'final' decision regarding polls' boycott.
First Phase January Polls
The first phase of the Jan 8 general elections, which began on Nov 21 with the issuance of nomination forms to candidates, completed on Monday, which was the last day for filing nomination papers.
Sources in the provincial Election Commission told Pulse that more than 2,200 nomination papers were filed by candidates from Sindh for National and provincial assemblies seats.
The scrutiny of the papers will take place from Nov 27 to Dec 3, appeals against acceptance or otherwise of the nomination papers may be filed by Dec 7 and decisions on such appeals will be taken by Dec 14.
The nomination papers can be withdrawn by Dec 15 and the final list of candidates will be published on Dec 16.
After the publication of the list, candidates will have 22 days of electioneering in accordance with a 'code of conduct' prepared by the EC.
In Sindh, there are 61 general seats of the National Assembly as well as 14 such seats reserved for women. In the Sindh Assembly, out of 168 seats 29 are reserved for women and nine for non-Muslims.
During the five-days long first phase of the elections, over 250 nomination papers were filed against reserved seats including 58 against reserved seats of women in the NA and 115 against women's seats in the provincial assembly while 55 nominations against seats reserved for non-Muslims in the Sindh Assembly.
Nominees of almost all prominent political parties, except Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, were seen filing nomination papers against general and reserved seats of the National Assembly and the provincial assembly.
Candidates supported by the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) have mostly filed nomination papers for the 20 seats of the National Assembly and the 42 seats of the Sindh Assembly from Karachi.
Some of the prominent candidates from different political parties who submitted their nomination papers to returning officers include former provincial home adviser Waseem Akhtar, Khushbakht Shujaat, In-charge MQM Coordination Committee Anwar Alam, Karachi JI Chief Mohammad Hussain Mehanti, former Karachi nazim Niamatullah Khan, former JI legislators Nasrullah Shaji, Maulana Omar Sadiq, Qari Usman, Laeeq Khan, Asadullah Bhutto, Siddiq Rathore, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, PML-N leaders Sardar Raheem, Malik Riaz, Sultan Bahadur, Saleem Zia, Tariq Khan, ANP leaders Shahi Syed, Farooq Bangash, Zarali Syed, Sultan Mandokhel, former provincial deputy speaker Rahila Tiwana, former Sindh minister Dr Saeeda Malik, PPP legislators Fauzia Wahab and Humera Alwani and Imtiaz Shaikh, Capt (Retd) Haleem Siddiqui, Mohammad Asif Khan from the newly formed Aman Pasand Panel while former provincial minister Irfanullah Khan Marwat who is one of the members of the PML-Q parliamentary board filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate.
MQM Candidates
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement is likely to field most of its former lawmakers in the Jan 8 general election from different national and provincial assembly seats in the city.
A number of old faces were among those who have filed nomination papers on 20 National Assembly and 42 provincial assembly seats in the metropolis.
Joint In charge Coordination Committee Abdul Haseeb (NA-240), Dr Farooq Sattar (NA-249 and NA-252), Hyder Abbas Rizvi (NA-241, NA-244, NA-253), former housing minister Iqbal Muhammad Ali (NA-252, NA-253 and NA-256).
Former provincial home adviser Waseem Akhtar also filed nomination from a national assembly seat (NA-251).
Famous TV compere Khushbakht Shujaat also filed nomination paper from a National Assembly seat (NA-250) that comprises localities of Defence and Clifton. Former MNA Akhlaq Hussain Abidi also filed a nomination paper from the same constituency.
Dr Nadeem Ahsan, who returned here from Canada to contest the election, filed nominations from NA-247.
Former communication minister Shamim Siddiqui and former state minister for religious affairs Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada also filed nomination papers from two seats each.
Former MNAs Kanwar Khalid Younus, Abdul Waseem filed nomination papers from NA-245.
In charge Coordination Committee Anwar Alam filed nomination from a provincial assembly seat (PS-106). Former provincial ministers Syed Sardar Ahmed, Shoaib Bukhari, Adil Siddiqui, Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Rauf Siddiqui and former MPAs including Shakir Ali, Faisal Subzwari, Moin Khan, Amir Moin, Imamuddin Shahzad, Bilquis Mukhtar, Khalid bin Wilayat were among those who filed nomination papers from different provincial assembly seats.
Some other leaders including Raza Haroon, Askari Taqvi, Abdul Moid Siddiqui, Adil Khan, Arshad Hasan and famous orthopedic surgeon Dr Muhammad Ali Shah also filed nominations on various provincial assembly seats.
MMA candidates
The following is the list of candidates fielded by MMA from the metropolis:
NA seats: 239- JUI-F Qari Usman, 240-JUI-F Qari Usman/ Sheerin, 241- JI Laeeq Khan, 242-JI Taj Mohammad, 243-JUP Saleemuddin Qureshi/Farakh Danish, 244-JI Rashid, 245 JI Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, 246-JI Rashid Nasim, 247-JUP Ilyas Siddiqui, 248-JUI-F Nasiruddin Sawati, 249-JUP Shabbir Abu Talib, 250-JI Niamatullah Khan, 251-JI Abdul Ghaffar Umar, 252-JI Mohammad Hussain Mehanti, 253-JI Asadullah Bhutto, 254-JUP Syed Aqil Anjum, 255-JI Abdul Jalil, 256-JUP Siddiq Rathore, 257-JI Farooq Ahmad, and 258-JUI-F Maulana Abdul Karim Abid.
PS seats: 89-JUP Shabbir Abu Talib, 90-JUI-F Maulana Omar Sadiq, 91-JUI-F Hafiz Naeem, 92-JUP Rafiur Rehman Noorani, 93-JI Hameedullah advocate, 94-JI Taj Mohammad, 95-JUP Amanullah Khan Niazi, 96-JUP Wali Mustafai, 99-JUP Farakh Danish, 100-JUI-F, 101-JI Nasim Siddiqui, 102-JI Syed Mohammad Iqbal, 103-JI Muzaffar Ahmad Hashmi, 104 JI Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, 105-JI Intikhab Alam, 106-JUP Mohammad Mustafain, 107-JUP Mohammad Askari, 108-JI Tahir Akbar, 109-JUP Tajuddin Siddiqui, 110-JUP Shabbir Abu Talib, 111-JI H.M. Hanif, 112-JUP Siddiq Rathore, 113-JI Akbar Mehanti, 114-JI Raja Arif Sultan, 118-JI Qutub Ahmad, 119-JUP Mohammad Haleem Ghauri, 120-JUP Allama Zahid Siraj, 121-JUP Nishat Rasul, 122-JUP Iftikhar Baig, 123-JUP Abdul Aziz Rajput, 124-JUP JI Abdul Saeem, 125-JI Mehardin Afzal, 126JI Yunus Barai, 128-JUI-F Ahsanullah Hazarvi and 129-JI Abdul Rauf Pirzada.
NA reserved women seats: Dr Farida, Dr Noorun Nisa, Zainab Khan, Khalida Shafiq Patafi, Aziza Anjum, Attia Nisar.
NA non-Muslim seats: Yunus Khan, Raja Rajesh Kumar, Ghamir Chander, Razzaq Inayat, Astar Azhar.
PS women seats: Rafia Azam Jehangiri, Kaneez Raza, Attia Nisar, Bilqees Siddiqui, Humera Khalid and Samina.
PS non-Muslims seats: Saba Pervez, Achar Sha, Saleem Michael, Naik Karmo, and Nausheen Bano.
PML-N Candidates
PS-108 Malik Riaz, PS-109 Sultan Bahadur, PS-113 Salim Zia, PS-114 Sardar Rahim.
ANP Candidates
For NA seats: 239- Zarwali Syed, 240- Mohammad Hanif advocate, 241- Zarwali Syed, 245- Jumma Khan Babar, 250- Farooq Bangash, 255- Qari Abdul Sattar Mandokhel and 258- Shahzad Ali Khan.
PS seats: 49- Anwar Zaib, 89- Zarwali Syed, 90- Abdul Qayoom advocate, 91- Abdul Hayat, 92- Mohammad Yusuf advocate, 93-Amir Nawab, 94-Gulraj Khan, 96- Amir Nawab, 97-Jumma Khan Babar, 103- Mohammad Aslam Mandokhel, 112-Khalid Khan, 116- Nadeem Jan, 119- Farooq Bangash, 125- Saeed Ahmad Khan, 126-Bashir Jan, 127 Pir Yasin, 128-Fazal Amin, 129- Zarwali Syed and 130 Waseem Shah Mishwani.
Irfanullah Khan Marwat has filed as independent candidate for PS-114.
