TAXILA: By-elections will be held on November 14 for two vacant seats in the Cantonment Board Wah and a tough contest is expected between PML-N and PTI.

The local bodies’ elections in the cantonment area of Wah were held on September 12, 2021. It is the second by-election in the Cantonment Board Wah as two seats fell vacant one in ward 4 as the elected councilor Malik Arif Mehmood resigned after developing differences with the Cantonment Board authorities and ward 8 was declared vacant after councilor Malik Fahad was elected as member of the Punjab Assembly on a PTI ticket.

Earlier, by-elections in Cantonment Board Wah were held on December 5, 2022 after the demise of elected member Raja Mohammad Ayub of the PML-N. The son of the deceased returned from the area.

Cracks in the PTI local ranks led to the victory of the PML-N candidate in the by-elections. In the September 2021 polls, the then ruling PTI failed to retain its supremacy as PML-N candidate clinched eight out of 10 seats.

So far, 26 candidates have filed their nomination papers in which 12 are vying for ward 4 and 14 for ward 8. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), all arrangements for the by-elections have been finalised.

As per schedule, nomination papers were received till October 11. Appeals against nomination papers would be filed till Oct 19.

Publication of the list of nominated candidates would be carried out on Oct 24 and last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is Oct 25. The final list of candidates with election symbols would be displayed on Oct 26 while polling would be carried out on November 14.

Ward 4 which remained dominated by PML comprises commercial as well as low income settlers of Nawababad, Chachi mohallah and adjourning areas. As many as 18450 registered voters - 9408 males and 9042 females - would elect their representatives.

In September 2021, Malik Arif Mehmood backed by PML-N won the seat by securing 3011 votes while his rival Shahid Arif of PTI secured 2924 votes while turnout remained 42.67 per cent.

Ward 8, which remained dominated by PTI, as it is home constituency of former Punjab minister for sports Malik Taimur Masood Akbar and his younger brother MPA Malik Fahad Masood Akbar comprises officers’ colony, Lalarukh, both business and high income residential areas. The number of registered voters in this area is 27026 in which 14060 are males and 13766 females.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2024