Bilawal, Imran file nomination papers from Karachi constituencies

Pakistan People's Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf chief Imran Khan filed their nomination papers on Friday for the upcoming general elections in the country, scheduled to be held on July 25.

As per reports by ANI, the two leaders went to file their papers themselves. Bilawal is contesting from two assembly seats namely Karachi's Lyari and Larkana while Imran has filed his nomination from NA-243 in Karachi East district. 

In his first election campaign, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the scion of the storied Bhutto family who now heads the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), is attempting to recapture the support his mother, two-time former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, enjoyed on her return from exile in 2007, before she was assassinated on the campaign trail.

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Party leaders insist the 29-year-old Bhutto, Oxford-educated like his mother and grandfather — also a former prime minister — brings a fresh new appeal to the party as it attempts to revive its waning fortunes in a general election called for July 25.

Further, Bilawal's sister Asefa Bhutto also filed nomination forms to contest from Rato Dera of the Sindh assembly. She is also a covering candidate of Bilawal Bhutto in Larkana.

Earlier PTI's Imran had announced party candidates for the majority of the assemblies. Khan would himself contest elections from five constituencies including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Mianwali, and Bannu.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday started accepting the nomination papers after the Supreme Court announced its verdict rejecting amendments in the forms.

The Lahore High Court ruled on June 1 that the nomination papers do not necessarily seek information regarding candidates' educational background, criminal record, and dual citizenship.

It further ordered the election body to add requirements under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution to the nomination papers.

The ECP will continue to receive the nomination papers, in compliance with the approved format as per Election Act 2017, from June 4 till June 8.

The nominations papers will be scrutinised on June 14 while any appeals against the decision regarding nomination process must be filed till June 19.

Meanwhile, the number of non-Muslim voters in Pakistan has climbed to 3.63 million in 2018 with the Hindus at 1.77 million maintaining their majority among the religious minority electorate, according to a new voters' list prepared by authorities ahead of the general elections.

The non-Muslim voters have registered an increase of 30 per cent over the last five years, the Dawn newspaper reported citing an official document.