ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: As many 63 Candidates including the Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and the former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have submitted their nomination papers to Contest the upcoming general elections from NA-53 Islamabad-II.
Unlike the last general elections held in May 2013, the Constituencies which fall under the Federal Capital Territory have now been divided from two into three names NA-52 Islamabad-I, NA-53 Islamabad-II and NA-54 Islamabad-III for general elections scheduled on July 25, 2018.
The PTI – the more vigorous and lively opposition political party in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) five-year tenure (2013-18) – has already named its Candidates for all three Islamabad Constituencies.
In 52 Islamabad-I and NA-54 Islamabad-III Constituencies, the PTI has fielded Raja Khurram Nawaz and Asad Umar respectively while in a bid to resolve the emerging intra-party political tussle especially among supporters of Chaudhary Ilyas Mehrban, Amir Kiyani and Ali Awan, the Chairman PTI Imran Khan decided to field himself from NA-53 Islamabad-II.
Besides Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former Chairman Senate and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Nayyar Hussain Bukhari’s brother Sibti Shah, Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi, and the PTI’s former Parliamentarian – who later formed her Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Gulalai (PTI-G) – Ayesha Gulalai are among the main contenders from NA-53.
It is pertinent to mention here that Tariq Fazal Chaudhry – the former Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) who won 2013 general elections from the then NA-49 Islamabad-II Constituency by receiving 95,701 votes – will now compete from NA-52 Islamabad-I.