PESHAWAR: Thirty-seven candidates have filed nomination papers against 12 seats for the forthcoming Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with son-in-law of provincial chief minister, an outgoing senator, filing papers as an independent candidate for seats reserved for technocrats.

Against seven general seats, 17 candidates filed nomination papers with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election commissioner Mussaratullah Khan, who is the returning officer for the Senate elections in the province.

The most interesting feature of the Senate polls is the jumping into the fray of outgoing Senator Waqar Ahmad Khan and former senator Ammar Ahmad Khan.

Contesting polls by them and their father, Gulzar Ahmad Khan, an outgoing senator, always remained a matter of concern for political parties because of their drawing clandestine support of MPAs. Waqar filed papers as independent candidate, whereas Ammar submitted his nomination papers as candidate of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP).

Saturday was the last day for submission of nomination papers. Those, who filed nomination papers against general seats, include Waqar Ahmad Khan (independent), Aamar Ahmad Khan (QWP), Maulana Attaur Rehman (JUI-F), Haji Mohammad Adeel (ANP), Sirajul Haq (Jamaat-i-Islami), Professor Mohammad Ibrahim (JI), Lt-Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmazi (PML-N), Abdul Malik (QWP), Mohsin Aziz (PTI), Manzoor Khan (JUI-F), Liaquat Khan Taraqai (independent), Khanzada Khan (PPP), Noor Alam Khan (PPP), Fazal Mohammad Khan (PTI), Syed Shibli Faraz (PTI), Salman Hameed Afridi (PTI) and Daub Burki (independent).

CM’s son-in-law files nomination as independent for technocrat seat

Liaqat Taraqai is the father of senior provincial minister and leader of Awami Jamhori Ittehad Pakistan, Shahram Tarakai. Similarly, Shibli Faraz is the son of noted poet, the late Ahmad Faraz.

Nine candidates filed nomination papers against two seats reserved for technocrats.

They include Mohammad Yaqoob (JUI-F), Abdul Lateef Yousafzai (PTI), Abdul Malik (QWP), Afrasiab Khattak (ANP), Engineer Humayun Khan (PPP), Nauman Wazir (PTI), Shibli Faraz (PTI), Adnan Khan (independent) and Mohammad Jawed Abbasi (PML-N).

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s son-in-law, Adnan Khan, who is about to complete his six-year term as senator on a seat reserved for technocrat on the basis of a stay order issued in his favour by the Peshawar High Court, also turned up on Friday to file nomination papers as an independent candidate.

In the 2009 Senate polls, he was elected as a senator on PPP ticket.

At the time of filing papers by Adnan, the chief minister also visited the office of the provincial election commission.

In the 2009 Senate elections, the returning officer had rejected his nomination papers observing that he was not a technocrat.

That decision was upheld by the appellate authority but the Peshawar High Court granted him interim relief allowing him to contest polls.

His petition has been pending with the court since.

Another feature of the day was the filing of nomination papers by advocate general Abdul Lateef Yousafzai.

Seven candidates submitted nomination papers against two seats reserved for women.

They were former provincial minister Sitara Ayaz (ANP), former senator Fauzia Fakhruz Zaman (independent), Bibi Shafia (JUI-F), Sameena Abid (PTI), Rabia Basri (PTI), former MPA Shazia Tehmas (independent) and Shaheen Habibullah (PML-N).

Furthermore, four nomination papers were filed against a single seat reserved for non-Muslims.

The candidates are James Iqbal (JUI-F), Brig (r) John Kenneth Williams (PTI), Ravi Kumar (PTI) and outgoing Senator Amer Jeet (ANP).

The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on Feb 16 and 17. Appeals against the decision of the returning officer could be filed on Feb 20 and 21 with the Election Commission of Pakistan secretary or members of the commission.

The decisions on those appeals will be given on Feb 23 and 24.

The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers will be Feb 25. On the same day, final list of candidates will be released.

Six senators of ANP, five of PPP and one of JUI-F will complete their term in office on March 11.

Published in Dawn February 14th , 2015

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