PTI candidate Awais Dareshak elected unopposed in Rajanpur by-poll

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Awais Dareshak has been elected unopposed in the by-poll of Rajanpur’s PP-296.

The seat fell vacant after the death of MPA Tariq Dareshak, who died of a brain hemorrhage on August 5 following his election in the July 25 polls.

A total of 14 candidates obtained nomination forms for PP-296 by-polls, but only five candidates submitted nomination papers. Later on, four candidates stepped down in favour of Awais.

These four candidates – Atta Mohammad Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Ijaz Khamar and Ghulam Mujtaba Dareshak –submitted their affidavits for withdrawal of their nomination papers to returning officer Mohammad Javed in the office of Rajanpur Election Commission.

Returning Officer Mohammad Javed said that all the candidates have stepped down in favour of Awais and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would soon issue the official notification of the unopposed victory of Awais in PP-296.

Awais is the brother of Tariq Dareshak, who had also won the polls on PTI’s ticket. He bagged 42,119 votes and defeated independent candidate Sardar Mohammad Yousaf Dareshak with a margin of 15,000 votes. He is the nephew of MNA-elect Nasrullah Khan Dareshak and cousin of MPA-elect Hasnain Bahadar Dareshak.