Channar and Cheema to contest NA-168 seat in Pakistan — Dawn
In Bahawalpur, Pakistan, PML-N candidate Malik Munir Iqbal Channar and independent candidate Wali Dad Cheema will contest the September 27 by-election for the NA-168 National Assembly constituency. Channar is the son of late lawmaker Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar, while Cheema is the son of former federal minister Tariq Bashir Cheema, Dawn reports.
The key campaign issues have been sympathy for the late lawmaker's family, demands for the creation of a separate province, and PTI's election boycott. The Pakistan Peoples Party, PPP, withdrew its candidate and announced support for Channar. Its representative, Syed Ali Haider Gillani, explained this by a coalition agreement, noting that PML-N also did not field a candidate in the constituency where PPP won in the 2024 election.
PTI boycott
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the party would not take part in electoral processes under the current circumstances. As a result, PTI has no candidate in the constituency, although its nominee Samiullah Chaudhry came second behind Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar in the 2024 general election.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Wali Dad Cheema has publicly appealed to PTI supporters and sympathizers to vote for him. He said he decided to run because of PTI's boycott and stressed the need for support from its followers. At the same time, PTI leaders from different districts of Punjab released video messages rejecting claims that they support Cheema or his group and urging their supporters to refrain from voting.
Issue of provincial status
Voters and public figures interviewed by the publication believe that the death of the sitting lawmaker could provide Channar with additional support. One voter, Mustafa Khan, said that the Channar clan had united around the PML-N candidate. Social activist Salman Bhadera said that local PML-N leaders and about 15 members of the provincial assembly were holding meetings to mobilize voters.
Cheema's camp advocates the restoration of Bahawalpur province. At the same time, voter Khadim Hussain said he would vote for a candidate who supports the creation of a Saraiki province. PPP, despite supporting the PML-N candidate, has also publicly spoken in favor of creating new provinces, including a Saraiki province.
