ISLAMABAD: Former minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has submitted his nomination papers for the upcoming NA-53 by-election after the seat was won and vacated by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Dr Chaudhry unsuccessfully contested from NA-52 in the July 25 elections. He lost to PTI’s Khurram Nawaz.

Ali Awan, Saifullah Niazi and Alyas Mehrban also submitted their papers on Thursday from the PTI camp. Several local PML-N leaders, including Dr Chaudhry’s brother Chaudhry Asif and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad members Sajid Abbasi, Raja Waqar Mumtaz and Naeem Gujjar, as well as local leader Adnan Kayani, have also submitted their papers.

The by-election has been scheduled for Oct 14.

From the results of the July 25 elections, NA-53 in Islamabad appears to be a PTI stronghold. Mr Khan won the constituency with 92,891 votes, with a lead of 48,577 over PML-N candidate and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. PPP’s Sibtul Haider Bokhari came third with 17,970 votes. The competition once again is expected to be between the PTI and PML-N.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2018