Arrangements finalised for PP-232 by-polls

BUREWALA: All the arrangements have been finalised for holding by-elections in PP-232 (Vehari-I) on August 31. 

The main candidates are Chaudhry Muhammad Yousaf Kaseliya of the PML-N, a de-seated MPA, and Ayesha Nazir Jatt of the PTI. Former MNA Nazir Ahmad Jatt has fielded his daughter Ayesha Nazir Jatt in the by-polls after joining the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf. PML-N Hamza Shahbaz, PTI general secretary Jehangir Khan Tareen and others have already visited the constituency to muster maximum support of the voters. The constituency consists of 19 union councils of Burewala sub-division. It is a stronghold of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The constituency has a huge vote bank of Arain, Jatt and Gujjar clans. There are 191,092 voters in the constituency. Of them, 109,000 are male and 81,911 are female voters. The Election Commission of Pakistan will set up 157 polling stations and 365 polling booths.   In 2013 general elections, Chaudhry Yousaf Kaseliya, an independent candidate, bagged 50,260 votes and was declared winner whereas his rival candidate Pir Ghulam Mohiuddin Chishti of the PML-N secured 43,665 votes. Later, Kaseliya joined the PML-N. 

The ECP has made stringent security arrangements as 1,500 army men and 2,000 Punjab Constabulary personnel will perform their duties along with police to hold free and fair elections. Vehari District Returning Officer Amir Javed has issued a notification, banning public rallies of PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz and PTI chief Imran Khan scheduled for August 28 and 29 respectively. The seat fell vacant after the Multan Election Tribunal de-seated Chaudhry Muhammad Yousaf Kaseliya of the PML-N for concealing assets. The Supreme Court also upheld the ET’s decision.