LAHORE: Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Food Security Jamshed Iqbal Cheema has tendered his resignation from the post.
Cheema will contest the upcoming by-elections in Lahore constituency NA-133 as a candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Cheema has also started his election campaign and placed thousands of posters in the provincial capital.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that by-elections in NA-133 will be held on December 5. The seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N MNA Pervaiz Malik who died of heart complications on October 11.
According to a statement issued by the ECP, candidates can submit their nomination papers for the by-polls on the seat from October 21 to 25. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be completed by October 30.
The last date to file appeals against the decisions of the returning officers will be November 3, while the last date to decide the appeals by the appellate tribunal will be November 9.
The revised list of candidates will be published on November 10 but candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by November 11. The ECP will allot election symbols to the candidates on November 12.
The ECP has appointed the district returning officer and returning officer for the upcoming by-polls in NA-133. The commission has also banned postings and transfers of all government officials in the constituency due to by-elections.
An ECP notification said the government functionaries, elected representative, local government functionary has been barred from announcing any development scheme in the constituency.
NA-133 covers the areas of Liaqatabad, Model Town Ext, Pindi Rajputan, Ismail Nagar, Kot Lakhpat, Chungi Amar Sadhu, Teharta Pind, Bagrian, Green Town, Township, Maryam Colony, Sitara Colony and Farid Colony. It has over 370,000 voters.
