Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Awais Dareshak was Saturday elected unopposed after all the candidates withdrew their nomination papers in his favour in PP-296 Rajanpur.
The seat had fallen vacant after the death of MPA Tariq Dareshak who died of a brain hemorrhage on August 5.
Awais Dareshak is the brother of Tariq Dareshak who stood victorious on a PTI ticket by bagging 49,119 votes on July 25 polls.
According to the details, 14 candidates had obtained nomination forms for PP-296 by-election but only five candidates submitted nomination papers.
Later, four candidates, including Atta Mohammad Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Ijaz Khamar and Ghulam Mujtaba Dareshak, stepped down in the favor of Awais Dareshak. All the four candidates submitted their affidavits for withdrawal of their nomination papers to Returning Officer (RO) Mohammad Javed in the office of Election Commission Rajanpur.
RO Mohammad Javed said that all the candidates stepped down in the favour of Awais Dareshak and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would soon issue an official notification of unopposed victory of Awais Daresak in PP-296
Supporters and workers of the PTI celebrated the victory of Awais Dareshak by dancing to drum beats. Prime Minister Imran Khan, PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jehangir Tareen and Chauhdry Sarwar congratulated Awais Dareshak on his victory.
Published in Daily Times, September 3rd 2018.