Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced on Thursday that he will contest the upcoming general elections from NA-265 Pishin.
He said the decision was taken on the insistence of the people of Balochistan and JUI workers. “The people of Balochistan have expressed gratitude towards the candidacy decision.”
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, speaking on behalf of the central media cell of JUI-F, anticipates a significant victory for the party chief and urged party workers to accelerate their preparations for the upcoming elections.
Preparing for February 8
The country formally embarked on an extensive election journey on December 20, witnessing over 1,000 aspiring candidates obtaining nomination papers from returning officers (ROs) nationwide.
Concurrently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the Election Code of Conduct, setting the stage for political fervor that will culminate on February 8 next year when millions will cast their ballots.
These nomination papers, intended for both the National and provincial assemblies, encompassing general seats as well as those reserved for minorities and women, were sought by candidates from various political parties and independent contenders.
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Only a small number of papers were submitted on the first day, mostly in the districts of Jhelum and Karachi. The deadline for submitting nomination papers is this Friday, but the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is pushing for a three-day extension.
Nomination papers could be submitted until December 22. The returning officers’ choices to accept or reject the paper would be resolved by January 10 and the deadline for filing appeals would be extended to January 3, 2024.
The ECP stated in the election plan that a polling place with a capacity of at least 1200 voters and a maximum of 4 polling booths spaced at least one km apart should be built. It asked the DROs to operate the polling places with the voters’ convenience in mind.