KARACHI: A total of 27 candidates belonging to almost every major political party, including the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, are in the run for the by-election on a National Assembly seat (NA-246 in Azizabad).

While the PTI has so far not contested by-elections since its last year’s decision to quit assemblies in protest over alleged rigging in the May 2013 general election, eight of its members filed their nomination papers on Wednesday on a seat considered to be a stronghold of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Know more: MQM's Nabeel Gabol resigns from National Assembly

Besides the PTI, the MQM and the Pakistan Peoples Party filed four nominations each, the Jamaat-i-Islami (three), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (two), Pasban (two). Four independent aspirants also filed their nomination papers.

Returning officer Syed Nadeem Haider received the documents in the district election commission office located on the premises of the DC office complex near Sakhi Hasan.

The NA-246 seat fell vacant after resignation of Nabeel Gabol, who was elected on the ticket of the MQM in the 2013 general elections. He resigned last month and left the party.

The aspirants for the seat are: Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Seema Zareen, Abdul Sattar Ansari, and Aslam Shah of the MQM; Zafar Ahmad, Hasan Pervez, Shaheena Shamim and Shahzad Majeed of the PPP; Imran Ismail, Nazia Khurshid, Syed Firdaus Shameem, Raja Azhar Kahan, Syed Ahmad Sohail, Syed Usman Ali, Syed Azharul Hasan, and Mohammed Asif Memon of the PTI; Rashid Naseem, Hafiz Naeem-ur Rahman and Munnam Zafar Khan of the JI; Mohammed Rehan and Mohammed Ayub Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz; Usman Muazzam Siddiqui and Sheikh Mohammed Shakeel of the Pasban; Mehfoozyar Khan, Mohammed Ateeq Qureshi, Pervaiz Ali and Ashraf Ali Qureshi are independent candidates.

According to the election schedule, scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on March 19 and 20.

Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filed on March 24 and the appeals will be decided by March 30.

The candidates will be allowed to withdraw from the contest by March 31, while a final list of candidates will be issued on April 2. Polling will be held on April 23.

Regional election commissioner Syed Nadeem Haider will be the returning officer, while Gulberg assistant commissioner Sumera Hussain and district central town officer (education) Tariq Ali will act as assistant returning officers.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2015

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