Ali Pervez Malik to contest polls from NA-127; Irfan Shafi Khokhar given PML-N ticket for PP-173

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday decided on the election candidates to replace Maryam Nawaz, who was disqualified from contesting the polls in the Avenfield reference verdict.



The party has issued tickets to its Lahore wing president Ali Pervez Malik for NA-127, one of the constituencies Maryam was to contest the election from before she was disqualified.

For the provincial assembly seat of PP-173, Irfan Shafi Khokhar will now be contesting in Maryam’s place on the PML-N ticket.

On Friday, the accountability court hearing the Avenfield reference sentenced former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to a total of 11 years in prison and fined him £8 million, while Maryam was sentenced to eight years with a £2 million fine for corrupt practices linked to the family´s purchase of the upscale London flats.

Maryam’s husband and PML-N lawmaker Captain (retd) Mohammad Safdar was handed a year in jail.

Under the sentence, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (retd) Safdar will be ineligible to contest elections for ten years after the completion of their jail terms.



Earlier today, the Election Commission of Pakistan issued directives to halt the printing of ballot papers from NA-127 and NA-14, which were the constituencies of Maryam and Captain (retd) Safdar, respectively.

The electoral body stated that Maryam's name will be removed from the ballot papers of NA-127 Lahore while Captain (retd) Safdar's name will be removed from NA-14 Mansehra. New ballot papers of both constituencies will be printed later after receiving a court order, sources said.

