Benazir files nomination for reserved women's seat

For the first time in her political career, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's nomination papers were filed for a reserved women's seat in the National Assembly.

Several hundred workers belonging to Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party arrived in the Sindh provincial election commission office packed in vans, cars and motorcycles to submit her nomination papers.

"Prime minister Benazir" and "go Musharraf go," the PPP supporters screamed outside the commission office on the last day of the filing of nomination papers.

Earlier this week, Bhutto had already filed nomination papers on two National Assembly seats from her home constituency of Larkana.

But PPP leaders fear that under the new election laws, her nomination papers could be rejected, therefore they have also filed her papers for reserved seats on which elections would be held on the proportional representation system.

The military-led government has barred convicted people from running in the elections. Also, people who have held the slot of prime minister or chief minister twice are not allowed to run for the same position for the third time.

Ejaz Durrani, a PPP spokesman, said the government has no excuse to bar Bhutto from elections. "We have fulfiled all legal and constitutional requirements while filing Bhutto's nomination papers," he told Gulf News.

"But if the government tries to stop her, the PPP workers will resist. We can give a protest call," he warned.

Munawwar Suhrawardi and Habibuddin Junaidi, who proposed and seconded the name of Bhutto for the reserved seat, led the procession from her residence Bilawal House to the election commission office.

Many of Bhutto's supporters, including women, were carrying pictures of their leader, urging her to return to the country. The election commission will conduct the scrutiny of nomination papers from August 28 to 30.
Candidates whose nomination papers are rejected have a right to appeal before the commission as well as the High Court.