PDM decides not to contest April 30 KP by-polls

ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided not to contest any of the six NA seats vacated by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, as the ECP announced a partial schedule of by-polls on three of those.

Six of the seats vacated by the PTI chairman included Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar, Faisalabad and Nankana Sahib and one from Karachi.

Imran had retained the NA seat from Kurram. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced to hold the by-poll on NA seats from Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar on April 30. It has not given a schedule for the by-polls on the remaining three NA seats.

The PDM decision was been taken by the coalition partners through mutual consultations. The president of the ruling coalition, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, conveyed the decision to the respective provinces’ leadership.

It is likely that the PPP and ANP, which aren’t part of the PDM but a collation partner in the federal government, would also follow suit.

No decision has been announced from the major opposition PTI. The sources, however, pointed out that ever since the Tyrian White case is being heard in courts, Imran has reverted his earlier policy of contesting the election personally. In the light of that decision, Khan is unlikely to contest the polls.

The KPK PDM officially announced Saturday that since the parties of the coalition were preparing for the upcoming general elections in the country later this year, they wouldn’t take part in any of the by-elections. This is the PDM’s unanimous policy and decision.

According to the decision, none of the candidates from the alliance parties would submit nomination papers for NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda and NA-31 Peshawar constituencies.

From these constituencies, Ali Muhammad Khan, Fazal Muhammad Khan and Haji Shaukat Ali of the PTI were declared winners in the 2018 polls.

They, however, resigned from the constituencies in April last year en mass with other PTI members.

Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf accepted the resignations of 11 members, including these three.

Imran Khan had contested all the vacant seats and lost on one from

Karachi while bagging the rest in the elections held on October 16 last. Later, the ECP declared these seats vacant.