SAHIWAL: A total of 13 candidates from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), PPP, PML-N as well as some independents submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming by-election in PP-201, Sahiwal-III, Chichawatni.

The seat was vacated by Rai Murtaza Iqbal of the PTI who decided to retain his National Assembly seat of NA-149. Rai Murtaza had defeated the PML-N candidate to win this seat.

Among prominent contestants is Pir Samsam Bukhari, a former minister and PTI ticket-holder in the 2018 elections from Okara district. He had been awarded the ticket for PP-201 constituency of Chichawatni tehsil that was always a stronghold of the Rai family.

Rai Hasan Nawaz and Rai Azizullah were said to be strong here and considered ‘stars’ among the PTI Punjab high command. Rai Hasan, a former Sahiwal district nazim, is also president of the PTI south Punjab wing and was a member of the PTI’s former parliamentary board of Punjab.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2018