Local elections: ‘Extension of deadline will benefit PML-N candidates’

LAHORE:

The extension in the date for submission of nomination papers for the upcoming local government elections was meant to benefit the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidates, Pakistan Awami Tehreek secretary general Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said on Wednesday. He said it was clear now that the Election Commission of Pakistan members were facilitating the PML-N candidates.

He said his party had sent a note to the ECP to protest its decision to extend the date of submission of papers from Sept 11 to Sept 30. He said there was no need to extend the deadline for submission of nomination papers. He said if an extension was unavoidable it could have been announced after taking political parties into confidence. He said the ECP should have taken into consideration the dates of Hajj and Ashura in devising the election schedule.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2015.