LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has yet to settle on its candidate for the NA-129 Lahore by-election, even as the party has instructed all Punjab MPAs and ticket holders to gather at Adiala Jail on August 26 in a show of solidarity with incarcerated party founder Imran Khan.
According to party sources, PTI’s central leadership has authorised Hammad Azhar to decide the nominee. However, his own legal troubles have fueled uncertainty over whether he will contest the seat himself or nominate another candidate.
Among the alternatives being considered are Owais Anjum and Arsalan Ahmed, though insiders say a final announcement will only come by Monday evening, the deadline for confirming the party’s choice.
Meanwhile, PTI Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza Malik has directed Punjab lawmakers and ticket holders to assemble at Adiala Jail on Tuesday, when a court is scheduled to hear a case against Imran Khan. She also warned that any office bearers failing to comply would face show-cause notices.
The twin developments underline PTI’s political strategy of keeping electoral maneuvers tied closely to its campaign for Imran Khan’s release, as the party seeks to maintain unity in the face of legal and political pressure.
