SAHIWAL: A total of 21 candidates submitted nomination papers for the upcoming by-elections in two constituencies of NA-143 (Sahiwal-III) and PP-203 (Sahiwal-VI).
According to returning officers Javed Mumtaz and Khudadad Tarar, 11 candidates filed for NA-143 and 10 for PP-203. The by-elections are scheduled for Oct 5. Nominees include local leaders of PML-N, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
However, notably absent are candidates from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). No PTI leader or activist has filed nomination papers, underscoring the party’s boycott of the by-election. These by-elections follow the disqualification of Rai Hasan Nawaz (MNA) and Rai Mujtaba Ahmed (MPA) after their conviction by the Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad for alleged involvement in the May 9 riots.
Subsequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified 13 PTI lawmakers under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, including Rai Hasan Nawaz and Rai Mujtaba of PTI. Last week, the Peshawar High Court dismissed Rai Hasan Nawaz’s appeal against his disqualification.
Speaking to Dawn by phone, Nawaz confirmed that neither he nor any member of his family or political group would contest the by-polls, citing Imran Khan’s directive to boycott the polls. Interestingly, several candidates, including Falik Sher Langrial, Malik Ahmed Mujtaba, Zahid Iqbal, and Muhammad Tufail Jutt have filed nomination papers for both national and provincial assembly seats. No woman or transgender candidates had submitted nomination papers.
Candidates for NA-143 include Shahzad Saeed Cheema, Ahmed Ali Nasir, Zahid Iqbal, Zarrar Akbar, Umair Saleem, Majid Hussain, and Muhammad Hussain. For PP-203, the list comprises Malik Muhammad Ahmed Mujtaba, Muhammad Hanif Jutt, Majid Hussain, Muhammad Ayub, Amir Shahzad, Falik Sher Langrial, and Zahid Iqbal.
It merits mentioning that both seats are traditionally held by the Rai family of Chichawatni.
In the 2024 general elections, Rai Hasan Nawaz and his nephew Rai Murtaza Iqbal won NA-143 and PP-203, respectively as independent candidates, backed by PTI supporters. Rai Hasan Nawaz secured 147,147 votes, defeating PML-N’s Muhammad Tufail Jutt, who received 83,480 votes. Nouman Langrial of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party came third with 32,121 votes.
Similarly, Rai Murtaza Iqbal won PP-203 with 55,874 votes, defeating PML-N’s Muhammad Hanif Jutt - brother of Tufail Jutt - who garnered 35,163 votes. Zahid Iqbal, a PML-N hopeful and former chairman of the Zila Council, stood third with 16,416 votes.
Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2025
