KOHAT: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s high command has picked the name of former state minister for interior Shehryar Afridi from among the six aspirants for the by-election on NA-32 seat for the third consecutive time.

Three times MPA Ziaullah Bangash, Mansoor Bangash, former PTI district president Aftab Iqbal, Salman Shinwari and Shafi Jan were among the hopefuls for the NA seat, highly placed sources confided to Dawn here on Tuesday.

Mr Afridi along with former MPA Ziaullah Bangash had been in London for the past two weeks, and would catch the first available flight to reach Kohat as the last date for submission of nomination papers for the by-polls is Wednesday (today).

Talking to Dawn, the NA seat aspirants said they would now push for getting the part tickets for the four provincial assembly seats of PK-88, PK-89, PK-90, and PK-91.

However, the serious contender for the NA seat is Johar Saifullah Bangash of JUI-F, who has got the nomination on the platform of the federally ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement.

Babar Azeem from PPP and Najeebulah Durrani of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan would also submit the papers for the by-election.

Shafi Jan from the disgruntled Haq Parast group with the local PTI, who had parted ways with the party over denial of ticket for the slot of the city mayor in the local body elections, told Dawn that he would again contest the elections as an independent candidate.

He said apart from the NA seat he was preferably interested in PK-91, Kohat city. However, he said he would also file papers for PK-90 too.

To a question that his decision to contest for the city mayor’s seat as an independent cost the party dearly as the JUI-F had won the slot, Mr Shafi Jan said he was again under immense public pressure and had been left with no other choice but to vie for the NA seat against the party’s nominee.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2023