FAISALABAD: An independent candidate contesting from Faisalabad’s NA-103 reportedly committed suicide on Saturday.
Mirza Ahmed Mughal was contesting for both the National Assembly and provincial assembly seats. Before allegedly ending his own life, the candidate blamed political differences with his sons as the reason. The video also circulated on messenger application WhatsApp.
In the video, the candidate stated that his sons have been discouraging voters from voting for him.
ECP postponed elections in the constituencies and announced that by-polls will be held after July 25 as per the Election Act of 2017.
According to Section 73 of the Act, “If a contesting candidate dies before commencement of the poll or during the polling hours, the returning officer shall, by public notice, terminate the proceedings relating to that election.”
A candidate of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) contesting the general elections also lost his life in a road accident on Saturday.
Police have registered a case and are looking for the driver of the unidentified vehicle.
According to police officials, the accident took place near Police Training Centre, Razzaqabad, on the National Highway, within the limits of Shah Latif police station. The victim, Sharif Ahmed Khanzada, 55, son of Latif Khanzada, was travelling on his motorcycle when it was hit by a speeding vehicle. He was rushed to Jinnah hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The deceased was a resident of Shah Latif Town and was contesting the elections from PS-87. The TLP spokesperson, while expressing grief over the loss of life, demanded the elections be postponed for PS-87.
