PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday submitted his nomination form for contesting the upcoming general elections from his party’s traditionally dominant National Assembly constituency in Lyari — NA-246.

This will be the first time the PPP chairman will be contesting for any public office.

While talking to media persons outside City Courts in Karachi, Bilawal said if elected to the National Assembly, he will carry forward the mission of Benazir Bhutto.

“Presence of a ‘Bhutto’ in the parliamentary politics will help defend democracy,” he added.

Later on Twitter, Bilawal said he was “looking forward to getting the opportunity to personally represent and serve the vibrant metropolis" in which he was born.

The NA-246 constituency which earlier fell in Central district, the stronghold of the MQM, has now become part of Lyari, South-I, after final delimitation of 2018.

Bilawal’s mother, Benazir Bhutto, and his father, Asif Ali Zardari, had emerged victorious in the general elections of 1988 and 1990, respectively, from Lyari.

Meanwhile, PML-N leader Mushahidullah Khan submitted nomination papers to contest elections from the NA-249 constituency in Karachi.

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Mustafa Kamal also submitted nomination forms to contest polls from two national and two provincial constituencies in Karachi — NA-247, NA-253, PS-127 and PS-124, respectively.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Arif Alvi submitted nominations forms for NA-247, while party leaders Khurram Sher Zaman and Imran Ismail submitted form for provincial constituencies PS-110 and PS-111, respectively.

While talking to the media, the PTI leaders said that Amir Liaquat wants to contest elections from NA-245 but PTI chief Imran Khan has yet to approve his ticket.

Earlier in the day, Imran Khan submitted his nomination papers for the upcoming polls from Karachi's NA-243 constituency.

PTI leader Asad Umar said that Khan would contest the elections from four or five different constituencies scattered across the country.

In the run-up to the 2018 polls, Karachi appears to have emerged as a flashpoint for major political players, with PPP heavyweights Bilawal Bhutto, Aseefa Bhutto and Asif Zardari contesting from there, as well as prominent human rights activist and lawyer Jibran Nasir, who will contest as an independent candidate.