PESHAWAR: With major political parties except the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf not contesting the March 16 by-elections for eight National Assembly seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,37 candidates are set to participate in the electoral exercise.

They included all eight former PTI MNAs, whose resignations caused those seats to fall vacant.

The by-polls will be held in the constituencies of NA-4 Swat, NA-17 Haripur, NA-18 Swabi, NA-25 and NA- 26 Nowshera, NA-32 Kohat, NA-38 Dera Ismail Khan and NA-43 Khyber.

The Election Commission of Pakistan released the final list of candidates after the allotment of election symbols.

Major parties except PTI haven’t fielded candidates

According to it, four candidates are trying their luck on NA-4 Swat, including former federal minister Murad Saeed of the PTI, Mohammad Raza Khan of the Tehreek Labaik Pakistan (TLP), and independents Abdul Mohsin and Fawad Khan.

Former federal minister Omar Ayub Khan is one of the six candidates for NA-17 Haripur. The other contestants are Mohammad Hanif of the TLP, Abdul Shakoor of the Pakistan Islamic Republic Party, and independents Babar Nawaz Khan, who is a former MNA, Raja Ehtesham and Syed Ali Zawar Hussain Naqwi.

For NA-18 Swabi seat, four candidates are in the running. They include former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser and independents Sarfaraz Khan Jadoon, Ijaz Bacha and Wasim Shah.

The NA 25 Nowshera will witness a one-on-one contest between former federal minister and provincial PTI chief Pervez Khattak and Mehmood Ahmad of the TLP.

Four candidates will face each other in the NA-26 Nowshera by-poll. They are former PTI MNA Imran Khattak, who is also the son-in-law of Pervez Khattak, TLP’s Mian Azizul Haq, Tehreek-i-Islahat Pakistan’s Mohammad Kashif and independent Bilal Saeed.

Former federal minister Shehryar Afridi of the PTI and four others are contesting for the NA-32 Kohat seat. He will be challenged by Najeebullah Durrani of the TLP and independents Abbas Afridi, Johar Mohammad Khan Bangash and Manzoor Khan.

Former federal minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and five other candidates, including Mohammad Shafiqul Hai of the TLP and independents Ahmad Kundi, who was a former MPA, Zamir Hussain, Mohammad Tanveer and Malik Mohammad Ayaz, are in the field for the NA-38 DI Khan by-election.

For the NA-43 Khyber, six candidates are in the contest. They include former federal minister of the PTI Noorul Haq Qadri, former MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi of the TIP and four independents named Ihsan Ullah, Amir Mohammad Khan Afridi, Kashifullah and Nausherwan.

Meanwhile, the process is under way for the second phase of by-elections for 16 National Assembly seats in KP.

The ECP has fixed March 19 as the polling date for these constituencies, including NA-2 Swat, NA-3 Swat, NA-5 Upper Dir, NA-6 Lower Dir, NA-7 Lower Dir, NA-8 Malakand, NA- 9 Buner, NA-16 Abbottabad, NA-19 Swabi, NA-20 Mardan, NA-29 Peshawar, NA-30 Peshawar, NA-34 Karak, NA-40 Bajaur, NA-42 Mohmand and NA-44 Khyber.

The scrutiny of nomination papers was completed on Feb 18, whereas the relevant appellate tribunals will decide appeals by Feb 27 leading to the release of the revised list of candidates on Feb 28.

Last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers and the publication of the final list of candidates is March 1. Election symbols will be allotted to the candidates on March 2.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2023