Former PTI MNAs stage return as poll aspirants

Pervez Khattak, Asad Qaiser, Murad Saeed, Ali Amin, Shehryar Afridi file nomination papers

PESHAWAR:

The preliminary list of candidates participating in the by-elections for the eight vacant seats of the National Assembly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has been released.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded the same candidates who had resigned from the National Assembly. Other parties have also brought forward key candidates.

Pervez Khattak and his son from Nowshera, and an uncle and nephew duo from Kohat are among the poll aspirants. By-elections are going to be held on March 16 for the eight vacant seats of the National Assembly under the auspices of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The initial list of candidates has been released after the process of filing nomination papers was completed.

Nine candidates have submitted their papers from NA-4 Swat. Former federal minister Murad Saeed is contesting as a PTI candidate from the constituency.

Thirteen candidates have filed papers from NA-38 Dera Ismail Khan. Ali Amin Gandapur of PTI, his brother Faisal Amin Gandapur, and former MPA of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Ahmad Kundi are in the fray.

Former PTI MNA Umar Ayub is a poll contender from NA-17 Haripur among eight other candidates.

Moreover, 11 candidates have submitted their papers from NA-18 Swabi. Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser of PTI and his brother Aqibullah have filed their nominations.

There are nine candidates from NA-31 Kohat. Shehryar Afridi of PTI, Babar Azim Afridi and Abbas Afridi of PPP have submitted their nomination papers.

Nine candidates from NA-26 Nowshera have filed their papers. Former provincial minister the late Mian Jamsheduddin’s son Mian Muhammad Umar and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz’s (PMLN) Ikhtiar Wali are also in the run.

PTI’s Imran Khattak and Khaleeq-ur-Rehman have also submitted papers from the same constituency.

On the other hand, nine candidates are in the field from NA-25 Nowshera. PTI’s provincial president Pervez Khattak and his son Ismail Khattak have submitted their papers.

Ten candidates have emerged from NA-43 Khyber. PTI’s Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, who had also tendered his resignation from the National Assembly, is participating in the election again. Father Shah Ji Gul Afridi and son Bilawal Afridi, a former MPA, have submitted papers from the same constituency.

Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to “immediately announce” the dates for elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab, warning that the Constitution did not allow for any delays as they would cause “serious long-term setbacks to democracy”.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2023.