SWABI, July 10: All major political parties except Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have finalised names of their potential candidates for by-election in the NA-13, Swabi constituency.

The seat was secured by Asad Qaisar of PTI, who vacated it after retaining the provincial assembly seat.

Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Pakistan People’s Party have retained old candidates, while the other parties have fielded new faces.

Provincial PTI president Asad Qaisar, who is the speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, won the NA-13 seat in the May 11 elections but vacated it after he preferred to retain the provincial assembly seat.

JUI-F leader Maulana Fazal Ali said his party had named Attaul Haq Darvaish, the runner-up in the May 11 elections from the constituency, as its candidate.

Awami National Party has fielded former provincial minister Sitara Ayaz ignoring previous candidate Sarwar Khan.

She will be the only woman in the district to contest from the National Assembly constituency during the last 27 years.

Earlier, late Zanosha Bibi of Topi city contested election from the then NA-8 constituency in 1985.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has awarded ticket to Sajjad Khan, who remained the runner-up from PK-35, Swabi during the May 11 election.

The previous PML-N candidate for NA-13 was the party’s district president, Iftikhar Ahmad Khan.

Amir Nawaz Khan is the Jamaat-i-Islami candidate, who contested the May 11 election from the same constituency.

Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan has fielded Ayaz Khan of Chota Lahor, who contested the May 11 election from PK-33, Swabi.

In the general elections, AJIP chairman Shahram Khan Tarakai, who is the provincial minister for agriculture in the current PTI-led government, had also contested election from NA-13 constituency. He suffered defeat from the constituency but won from PK-32, Swabi.

Javed Zaman Tahirkheli is the Qaumi Watan Party candidate.

In the May 11 election, QWP supported JUI-F in the district under a seat adjustment.

From PTI, Rangaiz Khan, Abdul Sattar, Salman Faisal, Dr Fazal Ellahi, Sohail Yousufzai, Salman Faisal and Aqibullah Khan, brother of Asad Qaisar, have filed nomination papers.

With each of them being hopeful of getting the party ticket, the PTI chief will name the candidate.

Mr Imran along with other party leaders interviewed the aspirants in Islamabad six days ago.

Some local PTI leaders said delaying the award of the party ticket would generate doubts among the party activists.

They insisted that Mr Asad was lobbying for the nomination of his brother for the NA-13 by-election.