Daily Times

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday revoked the de-notification of 32 PTI MNAs, stopping the by-elections on 27 general seats of the National Assembly in Punjab – in line with the orders of the Lahore High Court. The electoral watchdog reinstated the 27 PTI MNAs, who had tendered their resignations in April last year, in these constituencies. Besides, it also reinstated five reserved-seat female MNAs – Aliya Hamza Malik, Kanwal Shauzab, Andleeb Abbas, Asma Hadeed and Maleeka Ali Bokhari – from the province. The 27 constituencies of Punjab, where by-elections would not be held, included NA-57 Rawalpindi-l, NA-59 Rawalpindi-Ill, NA-60 Rawalpindi-IV, NA-61 Rawalpindi-V, NA-62 Rawalpindi-V, NA-63 Rawalpindi-VII, NA-67 Jhehlum-II, NA-70 Gujrat-III, NA-87 Hafizabad-l, NA-93 Khushab-l, NA-96 Mianwali-l, NA-97 Bhakkar-l, NA-107 Faisalabad-VII, NA-109 Faisalabad-IX, NA-126 Lahore-IV, NA-130 Lahore-VIII, NA-135 Lahore-XIII, NA-150 Khanewal-l, NA-152 Khanewal-III, NA-155 Multan-II, NA-156 Multan-III, NA-158 Multan-V, NA-164 Vehari-III, NA-165 Vehari-IV, NA-177 Rahim Yar Khan-III, NA-187 Layyah-l, and NA-191 DG Khan-III.

However, the ECP announced that the by-elections for NA-52 Rawalpindi-I, NA-53 Rawalpindi-II, and NA-54 Rawalpindi-III would go ahead as scheduled on March 16 as these constituencies fell under the domain of the federal capital.

Separately, the ECP declared six seats won by the PTI chairman vacant. They include NA-22 Mardan-III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII, NA-118 Nankana Sahib-Il, and NA-239 Korangi Karachi-l.