TOBA TEK SINGH: One of the widows of the late Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza has applied for the PML-N ticket for PP-89 by-election.

The by-election is scheduled to be held on Jan 6.

In a press statement, Saima Ali Butt announced even if she was not awarded the PML-N ticket, she would contest the poll to serve the voters of his late husband.

Makhodoom Ali Raza won MPA and MNA elections and also remained the Faisalabad district council chairman before the creation of Toba Tek Singh district till 1982.

The late MPA’s son, former MPA Makhdoom Husain Raza, and two daughters Syeda Hina Shah and Syeda Sonia Shah (all three from the late MPA’s first wife Syeda Shamim Shah) have also applied for the PML-N ticket.

Two other applicants for the PML-N ticket are Pir Ali Baba and Chaudhry Khalid Sardar. Both Baba and Sardar were elected union council chairman and Pirmahal councillor respectively.

Sources in the PML-N say that Pir Ali Baba is likely to get the ticket.

Rana Muhammad Shafiq has also filed his nomination paper. He had secured 26,641 votes in the 2013 elections on the PPP ticket.

Four candidates are seeking Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) ticket — Riaz Fatyana, his wife Asifa Riaz Fatyana, district PTI organiser retired Maj Ahmad Nawaz and PTI ticket holder in the 2013 elections Mian Akhtar Javed.

Among the 18 candidates is Shaukat Ali Baloch, who is seeking ticket from the Pakistan Awami Tehrik.

The final list of candidates will be issued on Dec 9.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2015