ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan National Assembly (the lower house) constituency, NA-48, which covers the urban areas of Islamabad, is once again expected to have an absorbing contest in the upcoming by-election.
Makhdoom Javed Hashmi of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, who had won the elections from NA-48, decided to vacate the seat and retain his home constituency in Multan.
Riding on the PTI’s popularity among urban voters, Hashmi trounced Anjum Aqeel of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (the winner of 2008 general election) with a margin of 20,000 votes.
Hashmi won more than 73,000 votes against Aqeel’s 52,000.
Mian Mohammad Aslam of the Jamaat-i-Islami, who had won from the constituency in 2002, barely managed 25,000 votes.
It is mandatory for the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct by-elections in two months after a seat is vacated, and although the schedule is yet to be announced, by-elections are expected in July.
Potential candidates of the three major parties have already launched their election campaigns.
There are clear indications that the PTI wants to field Asad Umar, who is famous due to his prodigious career as Chief Executive Officer of Engro Pakistan, a conglomerate of companies dealing in food and agriculture.
He resigned from the company in April 2012 despite earning a staggering Rs6m per month, and joined the PTI.
Imran Khan, the PTI Chairman, hailed Asad Umar for sacrificing economic interests for a political cause.
Dr Shireen Mazari, information secretary of PTI, said that the party had yet to finalise the candidate for NA-48, but Umar’s name was being considered. She said the party’s parliamentary board would make the final decision.
However, a party source said Umar would be the PTI candidate and concerned quarters had already been asked to campaign for Asad Umar.
Internews
