Pakistan Muslim League to begin election campaign today

Earlier, the Pakistan Election Commission's returning officer (RO) of National Assembly (NA)-130 Lahore accepted the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif for the upcoming general elections, The Express Tribune reported on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will launch its electoral campaign for the February 8 elections in Sheikhpura today, ARY News reported on Saturday. The beginning of the election campaign will witness an address from PML-N supremo Shehbaz Sharif in the Farooqabad area of Sheikhpura.

"I am coming with the message of Nawaz Sharif in Farooqabad. Sheikhupura has always proved that this city is the citadel of PML-N and Nawaz Sharif," said Shehbaz. Shehbaz Sharif asserted on Thursday that his party was about to become the "strong political force" in the country's political landscape.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the former prime minister expressed his resolve to take "everybody on board" in a bid to uplift the country. "It is fundamental to put out all-out efforts for the sake of the country's prosperity," he said. Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the newcomers to the party. "I want to welcome those who have joined the PML-N. The friends from Sindh had joined the PML-N in large numbers."

Earlier, the Pakistan Election Commission's returning officer (RO) of National Assembly (NA)-130 Lahore accepted the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif for the upcoming general elections, The Express Tribune reported on Tuesday. The RO, Asghar Joya, completed the scrutiny of the papers and allowed the PML-N chief to contest from the constituency in the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8 and no objections were against Nawaz's nomination papers.

No objections were raised against Nawaz's nomination papers. Speaking to the media, PML-N leader Bilal Yasin said Nawaz will emerge victorious from NA-130 on February 8 and will "become prime minister of Pakistan for the fourth time."

The former premier will contest against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stalwart Dr Yasmin Rashid and 22 other candidates for NA-130. The PML-N supremo has also submitted nomination papers for NA-15 Mansehra, however, they have yet to be accepted by the local RO.

The former premier was disqualified in the Panama Papers case in July 2017 by the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC). The judges of the apex court had ruled that Nawaz had been dishonest to the parliament and the courts in not disclosing his employment in a Dubai-based company in his 2013 nomination papers and thus could not be deemed fit for his office, The Express Tribune reported.

Later, an accountability court awarded him 10 years of imprisonment in the Avenfield apartments and seven years in Al-Azizia references. However, he has been acquitted in both cases by the Islamabad High Court. (ANI)

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