The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) awarded tickets to its candidates in Lahore on Monday. However, it came as a surprise that the tickets were awarded to many fresh faces from the party while the name of PTI’s Aleem Khan, who recently returned the party ticket in protest, was still missing from the list though he actively participated in the ceremony.
The candidates are all set to lock horns with PML-N candidates. PTI Chief Imran Khan will contest polls from National Assembly constituency NA-122. He is likely to be challenged by PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, while PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid will be up against PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif in NA-120.
For NA-126, the constituency from which Aleem Khan was contesting elections, PTI has brought forward its Information Secretary Shafqat Mahmood. PML-N is yet to name its candidate on this seat.
Hamid Khan will be contesting from NA-155 where he will face a stiff challenge from Khawaja Saad Rafiq, while Hamad Azhar, son of former Punjab governor Mian Azhar, will be PTI’s candidate in NA-126.
Walid Iqbal has been awarded PTI ticket in NA-126. He has already launched his political campaign. Against Hamza Shahbaz, PTI has brought forward Muhammad Madni from NA-119.
The following candidates have been awarded PTI tickets for National Assembly: Hamid Khan (NA-118), Muhammad Madni (NA-119), Dr Yasmeen Rashid (NA-120), Barrister Hammad Azhar (NA-121), Imran Khan (NA-122), Atif Chaudhary (NA-123),Waleed Iqbal (NA-124), Hamid Khan (NA-125), Shafqat Mahmood (NA-126), Nasrullah Mugal (NA-127), Karamat Khokar (NA-128) and Talib Sindhu (NA-130) while NA-129 is still open.
The following candidates have been awarded PTI tickets for provincial assembly: Shabir Sial (PP-153), Hafiz Farhat (PP-155), Hamid Sarwar (PP-157), Khalid Mahmood Gujjar (PP-161), Yaseen Gillani (PP-137), Mian Mahmood Ahmad (PP-138), Muzhar Iqbal Bhalli (PP-139), Zubair Niazi (PP-140), Nawaz Natt (PP-141), Malik Waqar Ahmad (PP-142), Mian Hamid Miraj (PP-143), Muhammad Arshad Khan (PP-144), Tariq Hamid (PP-145), Jamshid Iqbal Cheema (PP-146), Shoab Siddiqui (PP-147), Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhary (PP-148), Mian Akram Usman (PP-149), Mehar Wajid (PP-150), Mian Mahmmod-ur- Rashid (PP-151), Dr Murad (PP-152), Asif Raza Baig (PP-154), Ahsan Rashid (PP-156), Tahir Majid Mayo (PP-158), Ali Imtiaz Warraich (PP-159) and Zahir Abbas Kokhar (PP-160).