NA-154 by-poll: Siddique Baloch’s son set to be PMLN candidate

The bench had disqualified Baloch on Thursday over his failure to inform the ECP about his assets

LAHORE:

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) announced on Friday that Siddique Baloch’s son Umair Baloch will contest the upcoming by-election in NA-154 (Lodhran) against Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf’s Jahangir Khan Tareen if his disqualification by a Lahore High Court Multan bench was not suspended in the coming days.

The bench had disqualified Baloch on Thursday over his failure to inform the Election Commission of Pakistan about his assets. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Iffat Tahira Soomro, an independent candidate.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Baloch said his legal team was looking into the matter and would decide a course of action by Tuesday. He said if his disqualification stood his son, who was his covering candidate, would contest the December 23 by-election on the PML-N ticket.

An election tribunal hearing PTI’s Jahangir Tareen’s petition on alleged rigging had de-seated Siddique Baloch in August this year and ordered a re-election in the constituency.

Later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) had suspended the tribunal’s ruling on Baloch’s eligibility and directed that he be allowed to contest the by-election. Baloch had won the 2013 general elections NA as an independent and later joined the PML-N.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2015.