Nomination Papers
ISLAMABAD: The nomination papers of Shehbaz Sharif and Omar Ayub for the upcoming elections of the Prime Minister or Leader of the House in the National Assembly, scheduled for Sunday at 11 am, have received approval.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) submitted nomination papers for Shehbaz and Ayub, respectively.
PML-N’s candidate, Shehbaz Sharif, has garnered support from the Mutahhida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), securing a smooth path to his potential re-election as Prime Minister. In contrast, Ayub faces challenges as he lacks the necessary numbers.
PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar, Hanif Abbasi, and PPP leader Khursheed Shah presented the documents for Shehbaz, with seven MNAs as proposers and seven as seconders for the nomination papers. Notable figures like Attaullah Tarar, Anusha Rehman, Khawaja Asif, and others were also present.
Simultaneously, the SIC submitted PTI leader Ayub’s nomination papers. The election for the Prime Minister’s office is scheduled for March 3, with the submission of nomination papers concluding at 2 pm on Saturday, followed by scrutiny ending at 3 pm.
After the recent successful elections for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, both major parties, PPP and PML-N, are gearing up for the Prime Minister’s election.
Post the Prime Minister’s election, new lawmakers will elect a new head of state on March 9, marking the conclusion of PTI-backed President Arif Alvi’s tenure.
However, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, whose party holds eight seats, raised reservations about the polls, stating they won’t vote for the President and Prime Minister. Despite hopes for a breakthrough after discussions between PML-N and JUI-F leadership, no positive news has emerged yet.
