The PTI Monday announced its candidates for the July 17 Punjab by-elections.
The Election Commission had de-notified 25 lawmakers – 20 elected on general and five on reserved seats – on May 23 for voting for Hamza Shahbaz in the chief minister’s election in violation of the party guidelines.
Earlier this month, the electoral body had ruled that the allocation of reserved seats – three women and two minorities – would be notified after the conclusion of by-election for 20 vacant Punjab Assembly seats.
In a bid to secure the reserved seats, the PTI had asked the ECP to issue the notification based on the current numbers in the Punjab Assembly, but the election body ruled that it would notify the allocation of reserved seats once the by-election takes place on July 17 – and the new party position is formed.
The by-elections will take place on PP-7, PP-83, PP-90, PP-97, PP-125, PP-127, PP-140, PP-158, PP-167, PP-168, PP-170, PP-202, PP-217, PP-224, PP-228, PP-237, PP-272, PP-273, PP-282 Layyah, and PP-288.
Taking to Twitter on Monday, PTI Central Information Secretary Farrukh Habib said the party’s parliamentary board had approved the candidates’ list for the by-polls and allocated tickets.
He said the party had allocated 18 seats, and the candidates for the remaining constituencies – PPP 237 and PP 170 – would be announced later.
The list includes Shabbir Awan PP 07; Hasan Aslam PP 83; Irfan Niazi PP 90; Ali Afzal Sahi PP 97; Mian Muhammad Azam PP 125; Muhammad Nawaz Bherwana PP 127; Khurram Virk PP 140; Mian Akram Usman PP 158; Atif Chaudhry PP 167; Nawaz Awan PP 168; Maj. Sarwar PP 202; Zain Qureshi PP 217; Amir Iqbal Shah PP 224; Ezat Javaid Khan PP 228; Muazzam Jatoi PP 272; Yasir Jatoi PP 273; Qaiser Abbas PP 282 and Saifud Din Khosa PP 288.
