Ali Tareen, son of PTI's disqualified Jahangir Tareen, in a video message last night said that he would not be contesting the upcoming polls.

The younger Tareen, has already been awarded a PTI ticket for Lodhran's NA-161 [formerly NA-154] seat — where he lost to PTI's Syed Iqbal Shah by over 25,000 votes in a by-poll in February this year.

In his video message, Tareen said that there "are many suitable candidates for PTI tickets" and that he believes that the ticket should go to a "diehard worker who invests their time and energy for the party".

Tareen cited his mandatory 10-day presence at Oxford each month as the reason for his withdrawal from candidacy as his 20-day absence from the 40-day election campaign would mean he will not be able to give the constituency the necessary time and attention.

While Ali is getting flak from party workers for his move, many of PTI's social media warriors are welcoming the decision and calling it a great move as it breaks away from Pakistan's traditional dynastic political culture.

Opinion

Editorial

Water vision
01 May, 2026

Water vision

WATER insecurity in Pakistan has been building up for decades as per capita water availability has declined from...
Vaccine policy
01 May, 2026

Vaccine policy

PAKISTAN has finally approved its first National Vaccine Policy; a step the health ministry has rightly described as...
Labour rights
Updated 01 May, 2026

Labour rights

THE annual observance of May Day should move beyond statements about the state’s commitment to the rights of...
UAE’s Opec exit
Updated 30 Apr, 2026

UAE’s Opec exit

THE UAE’s exit from Opec is another sign of the major geopolitical shifts that are reshaping the global order. One...
Uncertain recovery
30 Apr, 2026

Uncertain recovery

PAKISTAN’S growth projections for the current fiscal present a cautiously hopeful picture, though geopolitical...
Police ‘encounters’
30 Apr, 2026

Police ‘encounters’

THE killing of nine suspects by Punjab’s Crime Control Department across Lahore, Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh ...