Ex-PM Khan finalizes candidates from Lahore for Punjab Assembly polls

LAHORE, March 4 (SABAH): Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has finalized names of candidates from Lahore as general elections in Punjab are scheduled for April 30.

Hammad Azhar has been nominated for PP-125, Abdul Karim PP-148, Maher Waseem PP-149, Wasim Qadir PP-152, Akram Usman PP-169, Ali Babar PP-164, Yousaf Mayo PP-153, Ali Warraich PP-157, Hafiz Farhat Abbas PP-157, Mehar Sharafat PP-158 while Azam Khan Niza would contest elections from PP-159 and Zaheer Abbas Khokhar from PP-162.

Ahmar Rasheed Bhatti has been picked for PP-164 constituency, Khalid Gujar PP-165, Sarfraz Khokhar PP-166. Nadeem Bara PP-167, Murad Raas PP-160, Atif Chaudhry PP-161, Mahmoodur Rasheed PP-168, Mian Aslam Iqbal PP-170 while Zubair Niazi and Asghar Gujra would contest polls from PP-172 and PP-173, respectively.

It is noteworthy to mention here that President Dr Arif Alvi on the other day gave assent to April 30 date to conduct the all-important elections in Punjab. The President’s announcement came minutes after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) proposed dates for holding general elections in Punjab following a landmark verdict of the Supreme Court. April 30 falls on Sunday.

In a letter to President Arif Alvi earlier, the electoral body recommended a day between April 30 and May 7 for elections in the province where assembly was dissolved in January last. The letter was dispatched after Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja chaired a meeting of the ECP officials.