Pakistan’s Lahore, December 22– The Election Commission of Pakistan announced that the deadline for submitting nomination papers for the national elections has been extended till Sunday. This move gives former prime ministers Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif more time to enter the race.
Through a spokeswoman, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Friday that “the deadline for the collection of nomination papers for political parties and candidates has been extended by two days for their convenience.”
The remaining schedule for the elections set for February 8, 2024, would stay unchanged, the ECP made clear.
Both Khan and Sharif have declared their desire to submit their candidature papers, pending relief from higher courts that will allow them to participate, despite legal restrictions preventing them from doing so. Khan, who was previously declared unfit to run for office, is currently being held without bond on a variety of allegations, from sexual wrongdoing to disclosing state secrets. His legal team has, nevertheless, appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.
Khan voiced concerns about his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and its “forceful and aggressive efforts” to arrest and harass their aspirants as well as “unlawfully snatch their nomination papers” before the deadline in a statement issued through his lawyer on Friday morning.
Requests for responses to the accusations were not answered by Information Minister and government spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry, who was tasked with managing the elections program for the transitional administration.
Khan issued a dire warning: in the event of free, fair, and transparent elections, political unrest will ensue, potentially causing a $350 billion loss to an already precarious economy. He emphasized that free and fair elections are a must for the International Monetary Fund to support his party’s program.
Nomination papers may be submitted to the ECP until Sunday, but on January 11 the final list of qualified candidates will be made public, pending review and appeals.