PTI’s Dareshak Elected MPA Unopposed From PP-296

PTI candidate for by-election in PP-296 Rajan Pur, Sardar Muhammad Owais Khan Dreshak has been elected Member Punjab Assembly unopposed. He was contesting the election on the seat, which fell vacant due to death of his brother Sardar Muhammad Tariq Dreshak.

According to the election Commission Office Rajanpur, four independent candidates, who were in the run have withdrawn their candidature in favour of Sardar Muhammad Owais Dreshak.

Earlier on August 18, the Election Commission of Pakistan issued schedule for holding by-elections on the national and provincial assembly seats that have fallen vacant due to the death of candidates, resignation of elected lawmakers from seats as they had won more than one seat or postponement of the July 25 general election.

As per the schedule, by-elections on the vacant seats would be held on October 14 across the country. The public notice regarding by-elections would be issued by the returning officers on August 27.

According to the schedule, the date for filing of nomination papers with the returning officers would be August 28-30 while the names of candidates would be published on August 31. The date for scrutiny of the nomination papers is September 4, while September 8 has been fixed for filing of appeals against decisions of returning officers about rejection or acceptance of the papers.

September 13 has been fixed for deciding appeals by Appellate Tribunal against the decisions of returning officers and September 14 for issuing the revised list of the candidates.The ECP fixed September 15 for withdrawal of nomination papers by candidates and publication of revised list of the contestants. September 16 has been fixed for allotment of election symbols to candidates. The polling for the bye-elections would be held on October 14.

On the other hand, the ECP has also notified names of district returning officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers for one National Assembly and nine provincial assembly seats for which by-elections in KP would be held.

As per the notification, by-election would also be held on NA-35 Bannu from which Imran Khan was returned in the July 25 general election defeating MMA’s Akram Khan Durrani a former chief minister. The seat fell vacant after Imran Khan quit it and kept his National Assembly seat from his native Mianwali. The ECP notified Muhammad Tariq, regional election commissioner Kohat, as district returning office (DRO) for NA-35 Bannu.The ECP also announced bye-election on PK-3 Swat vacated by PTI’s Dr Haider Ali, PK-7 Swat vacated by PTI’s Dr Amjad Ali, PK-44 Swabi vacated by PTI’s Asad Qaiser, PK-53 Mardan vacated by ANP’s Ameer Haider Hoti, PK-61 Nowshera and PK-64 Nowshera vacated by former chief minister Pervez Khattak of PTI, PK-78 Peshawar where election couldn’t be held due to the death of ANP’s in a terrorist attack during the election campaign, PK-97 DI Khan vacated by PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur, and PK-99 Dera Ismail Khan were election was postponed after the death of PTI’s Sardar Ikramullah Gandapur in a suicide bombing.

As per the notification, Javed Iqbal, regional election commissioner Malakand, was appointed as DRO for PK-3 and PK-7 in Swat. Muhammad Naeem, REC Mardan, was made DRO for PK-44 Swabi, Abdul Hafeez, REC Hazara, was appointed DRO for PK-44 Mardan, Zulfiqar Ahmad, deputy election commissioner, Nowshera, will perform duty as DRO for PK-61 and PK-64 Nowshera, Fazle Hakeem, REC Peshawar, was appointed as DRO for PK-78, Peshawar, and Abdul Qayyum Shinwari, REC DI Khan, was made DRO for PK-97 and PK-99, DI Khan.