WEB DESK
In a change of strategy, the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided that its chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan will not be participating in the by-elections from multiple seats.
Instead, the party will be fielding its own candidates for each seat in hopes of returning to the National Assembly (NA).
Since his ouster as the prime minister back in April 2022, Imran Khan had contested in all by-elections himself. However, there is a change in the strategy.
Sources close to the party say that this decision has come about due to internal criticism and the belief that even if Khan wins in all the by-elections, his return to the NA will not be possible.
The party leaders argued that the assembly was dissolved on the whim of only two members and everyone had to walk out. Therefore, it is necessary to field candidates in the constituencies for returning to legislature.
PTI sources also say that the party aims to prevent the government from forming a caretaker setup of its own accord. Before the formation of a caretaker setup at the center, PTI wants to bring its opposition leader in the NA.
The by-polls will be held in the following constituencies:
- NA-04 Swat-III
- NA-17 Haripur-I
- NA-18 Swabi-I
- NA-25 Nowshera-I
- NA-26 Nowshera-II
- NA-32 Kohat
- NA-38 D I Khan-I
- NA-43 Khyber-I
- NA-52 Islamabad-I
- NA-53 Islamabad-II
- NA-54 Islamabad-III
- NA-57 Rawalpindi-I
- NA-59 Rawalpindi-III
- NA-60 Rawalpindi-IV
- NA-62 Rawalpindi-VI
- NA-63 Rawalpindi-VII
- NA-67 Jhelum-II
- NA-97 Bhakkar-I
- NA-126 Lahore-IV
- NA-130 Lahore-VIII
- NA-155 Multan-II
- NA-156 Multan-III
- NA-191 Dera Ghazi Khan-III
- NA-241 Korangi Karachi-III
- NA-242 Karachi East-I
- NA-243 Karachi East-II
- NA-244 Karachi East-III
- NA-247 Karachi South-II
- NA-250 Karachi West-III
- NA-252 Karachi West-V
- NA-254 Karachi Central-II
- NA-256 Karachi Central-IV
-NA-265 Quetta-II