Pakistan Extends Sunday Deadline for Election Nominations
Published on: December 22, 2023.
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Pakistan Extends Deadline for National Election Nominations
In order to provide more time for candidates to file their nomination papers, Pakistan’s Election Commission has extended the deadline by two days. This decision allows former prime ministers Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif, who were facing a ban on their participation due to court convictions, to enter the race.
According to a statement from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the extension is to accommodate political parties and candidates. The rest of the election schedule leading up to the polls on February 8, 2024, will remain unchanged.
Imran Khan, 71, currently in jail facing various charges including corruption and leaking state secrets, is determined to submit his nomination despite the disqualification. A court recently rejected his plea to suspend his conviction, but his lawyers have appealed to the Supreme Court.
In response to the extension, Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), expressed concerns over what they described as “coercive and brutal attempts” to remove their candidates. Some PTI candidates have allegedly been arrested, harassed, and had their nomination papers taken away before the original deadline.
The PTI, which won the previous national election in 2018, emphasized the need for free, fair, and transparent elections. Imran Khan stated that political instability resulting from unfair elections would negatively impact Pakistan’s struggling $350 billion economy. He also linked his party’s support for the International Monetary Fund program to the condition of free and fair elections.
The extended deadline allows candidates to submit their nomination papers until Sunday. After a scrutiny and appeals process, the Election Commission will release the final list of qualified candidates on January 11.
Source: [Zawya](https://www.zawya.com)
