NA-66 by-election: PML-N’s Bilal Farooq secures Wazirabad seat unopposed

GUJRANWALA: PML-N candidate Bilal Farooq Tarar clinched the NA-66 Wazirabad seat without contest after rival candidates withdrew or retired from the by-election process, officials confirmed on Saturday.

The returning officer confirmed on Saturday that Tarar’s victory notification has been issued and Form-34 has been forwarded to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for formal confirmation.

The returning officer said that 30 individuals had initially submitted nomination papers for the seat.

However, eight candidates, including those from the Sunni Ittehad Council and the Pakistan Peoples Party, withdrew their nominations, while the remaining candidates retired after the withdrawal period had lapsed.

The NA-66 seat fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan de-seated Punjab PTI President MNA Ahmed Chattha in the wake of his conviction in May 9 riots.

Several PTI lawmakers, including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul and others, were convicted by an anti-terrorism courts in various May 9 cases.

Thousands of supporters of PTI founder Imran Khan stormed public property and military installations, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore, on May 9, 2023, in protest against the former premier’s arrest.

The riots — in which lives were lost — erupted after the PTI founder was taken into custody from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case.

Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many remain behind bars.