ISLAMABAD: The main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), has announced boycott of the upcoming Senate by-election for the seat that fell vacant due to the disqualification of party senator Ejaz Chaudhry.

The Election Comm­ission of Pakistan (ECP) has set Sept 9 for polling to fill the vacant Punjab seat.

According to party’s media wing, the annou­ncement has been made by expected candidate Salma Ejaz, wife of Mr Ejaz. She has made it clear that she will not contest the by-election as she does not want to become part of the ‘fraudulent elections’.

PTI Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram said that the founding chairman PTI Imran Khan has stated in his message that members of assemblies and senators affiliated with PTI, have been unjustly imprisoned under the false pretext of May 9 cases.

He also said that it will be an insult to them if the party decided to contest the election on seats which have been vacated due to their disqualification.

He said that, after getting the message, party’s political committee also decided that no candidate will be fielded on any seat apart from Mian Azhar’s seat which has been vacated after his death and his son Hammad Azhar will contest the election from there in Lahore.

“This decision gives a clear message that PTI will not accept any unjust or imposed electoral process. The party stands firmly with its workers and leaders and it will continue its struggle under all circumstances,” Mr Waqas said. According to media reports, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has awarded the ticket to former interior minister Rana Sanaullah Khan for the seat.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2025