LAHORE: Hafiz Nauman, who had been earlier named as the covering candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for the NA-120 by-poll, will now contest the election as an independent candidate.
According to a private news channel, Nauman denied that he had withdrawn his nomination papers in favour of the PML-N’s nominated candidate Kulsoom Nawaz.
“Begum Kulsoom Nawaz is the PML-N candidate in the election and I will be contesting as independent,” he said, adding that the wife of former premier Nawaz Sharif will contest the election on the symbol of ‘lion’ while he has chosen ‘laptop’ as his electoral symbol.
Meanwhile, Dr Tahirul Qadri-led Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has also taken back nomination papers of its candidate Ishtiaq Chaudhry, after announcing its support to Dr Yasmin Rashid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Dr Rashid has now become a joint candidate of PTI and PAT.
Azizur Rehman Chan and Andaleeb Abbas of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and PTI respectively, have taken back their nomination papers as the covering candidates.
The NA-120 seat fell vacant after former premier Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case on July 28 in relation to an Iqama (UAE work permit) and the allegation by the court that he concealed his salary from a Dubai-based company, which he claims he had never received and for which there is no evidence.
