Internews/Lahore
Pakistan’s by-elections, scheduled for December 4, are being considered a real test for major political parties to prove their strength in Punjab before the upcoming general elections.
A total of 66 candidates are contesting for two National Assembly (NA) and six Provincial Assembly (PA) seats. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) are trying their best to win support for their candidates.
The PML-Q and PPP have nominated their joint candidates to give a tough fight to PML-N candidates.
By-elections are being held for an NA seat each in Gujrat and Sahiwal, two PA seats in Sialkot and one PA seat each in Jhelum, Sahiwal, Gujranwala and Narowal.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) yesterday issued a list of candidates.
According to the ECP list, a total of 12 candidates are in the fray for NA-107 Gujrat-IV, but the real contest will be between PML-N’s Mohammad Haneef Malik and PML-Q’s Rehman Naseer Chaudhry.
For NA-162 Sahiwal-III, 11 candidates are contesting the by-poll, but a tough competition is expected between PML-N’s Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal and PPP’s Mehr Muhammda Ali Farid Kathia.
Among five candidates for PP-122 Sialkot II, Mohammad Akram is the candidate for the PML-N and Raja Amir Khan for PPP.
For PP-129 Sialkot IX, six candidates are in the race, but the real contest will be between PML-N’s Chaudhry Mohsin Ashraf and PML-Q’s Chaudhry Ansar Iqbal Baryar.
In PP-226 Sahiwal, PML-N’s Mohammad Hanif and PML-Q’s Naseem Iqbal are among 10 candidates contesting for the PA seat. In PP-92 Gujranwala-II, PML-N’s Mohammad Nawaz Chuhan and PPP’s Lala Asadullah Papa are among 12 candidates.
For PP-133 Narowal-II, only four candidates, including PML-Q’s Chaudhry Umar Sharif and PML-N’s Naimat ali Javed, are in the run.
For PP-26 Jhelum-III, a total of six candidates are in the fray.
PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and party’s other senior leaders held rallies in Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal and other places to muster support for their candidates.
PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz and others have also held public gatherings in the constituencies where by-elections are being held.
Political analysts said that by-elections are very important for the PML-N to negate the perception that it is losing support in central Punjab.
As the PML-Q and PPP claim that they will get more seats in Punjab in the upcoming general elections as compared to the last elections, the upcoming by-elections would be a test to prove their claim.