PESHAWAR: With the retirement of four candidates, five are left to contest Thursday’s by-election for a women’s seat in Senate from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The ruling PTI has fielded Mashal Yousafzai, who is contesting election as an independent candidate, while the opposition parties have also fielded Sobia Shahid (PML-N), Shazia (JUI-P) and Saima Khalid and Mehtaz Zafar as independent candidates.

The ECP declared four candidates as retired from the election after they submitted applications on Wednesday with the ECP in this connection.

Those who retired included three PTI-backed independent candidates Sajida Begum, Sumera Shams and Momina Basit and PPP’s Raheela Bibi.

The by-election is schedule to be held on July 31 (today) on the seat vacated by Dr Sania Nishtar of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. The polling will be held from 9am till 4pm.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2025