Pak polls: Nawaz Sharif files nomination, Bilawal's challenge in Lahore

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter and senior Vice President of the party, Maryam Nawaz filed nomination papers for the upcoming general elections, Geo News reported.

PML-N leader Bilal Yasin submitted the nomination papers on behalf of the party supremo from NA-130 (Lahore-XIV), while Maryam submitted her papers for two National Assembly (NA-119 and NA-120) constituencies.

Maryam also submitted nomination papers from four constituencies of the Punjab Assembly -- PP-159, PP-160, PP-165 and PP-80.

In the 2018 general elections, PTI's Rahat Aman Ullah Bhatti won the NA-119 (Sheikhupura 1) constituency and PML-N's Rana Afzaal Hussain came second in the race, whereas PML-N's Rana Tanveer Hussain won NA-120 (Sheikhupura 2) and PTI's Ali Asghar Chaudhry came second, according to Geo News.

On the other hand, NA-130 was won by PTI with PML-N turning up as the second-largest party of the constituency.

PTI won PP-159 and 160 seats in Lahore with a slim margin in the last general elections, while PML-N came in second in both constituencies. On the flip side, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif won the PP-165 seat effortlessly last time, but the party lost the PP-80 by a wide margin to the PTI.

Meanwhile, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has challenged the Sharif brothers in their stronghold of Lahore in the February 8 polls.

On December 22, the PPP chief filed nomination papers from the NA-128 constituency in Lahore, which has traditionally been the stronghold of the PML-N, with the party securing a majority of seats from the provincial capital in the last many elections.

Along with Bilawal, PPP's Hafiz Ghulam Mohiuddin also filed nomination papers from the NA-128 and PP-170 constituencies, while the party's Misbah-ur-Rehman filed nomination papers for the PP-169 seat in the same constituency.

PML-N's Mian Ahmed Subhan is expected to contest elections against the PPP chief in the NA-128 constituency, according to Geo News.

Earlier on Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan also announced contesting polls from three constituencies, including Lahore, Geo News reported.

Despite being disqualified from contesting the upcoming general elections in Pakistan, the jailed former PM had his nomination papers submitted from his home constituency in Mianwali on Friday.

Khan had his nomination papers submitted for the National Assembly's NA-89 constituency. PTI leader Umar Bodla appeared on the former prime minister's behalf.

The much-awaited general elections will take place on February 8, 2024, with the national poll organising authority finally issuing the schedule following the Supreme Court's order, Geo News reported.