Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MPA-elect for PP-296 (Rajanpur), Tariq Khan Dareshak, passed away on Sunday after a battle with cardiac complications. Dareshak had been admitted to the hospital a few days ago with cardiac issues and an irregular heartbeat. With his situation deteriorating, the PTI MPA-elect had been put on ventilator, after which he passed away. Dareshak had been a Union Council Nazim in the Musharraf era. Since then, he contested the elections thrice – once as an independent, then on a PML-N ticket and now on a PTI ticket. This was the first time that the former nazim had won a provincial assembly seat. A by-poll will be held to fill the vacant seat in PP-296. Published in Daily Times, August 6th 2018.