PTI may award NA-20 ticket to son of PML-N minister

MANSEHRA: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is likely to award party ticket for the upcoming general election in NA-20 to former MNA Sardar Shahjehan Yousuf, the son of Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Mohammad Yousuf.

"We are in contact with Shahjehan to field him as candidate for NA-20 in place of Senator Azam Khan Swati, who is not going to contest the upcoming general election because of his health complications and has been awarded Senate ticket," Zargul Khan, the political advisor to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, told reporters on Wednesday.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's leader Sardar Mohammad Yousuf had defeated PTI's Azam Khan Swati in 2013 general election on NA-20.

Zargul Khan, who is also a member of the PTI's parliamentary board, which would issue tickets to contenders for the general election, said Azam Swati had secured over 77,000 votes in 2013 general election from Mansehra but he was not a contender now as the party had awarded him the ticket for the Senate election. "Our talks with Shahjehan are almost over and he is our likely contender in the coming general election," he said.

He also announced the names of probable contenders for provincial assemblies' constituencies from Mansehra, saying that Babar Saleem Swati would be party's candidate from PK-53. Former MPA Mazhar Ali Qasim, Tehsil Nazim Ibrahim Shah and Mushtaq Khan would vie for PK-54.

Ex-provincial minister Shahzada Gustasap Khan, Zahid Chanzeb and Zargul Khan himself were among probable for PK-55. MPA Wajiuzzaman Khan will contest the election from PK-56 and MPA Mohammad Ibrar Tanoli, Nawabzada Fareed and Rafique Tanoli will be probable candidates from PK-57.