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KARACHI: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, on Sunday took a serious notice of a speech delivered by the Islamabad High Court’s judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui at the Rawalpindi Bar Association in which he alleged interference of intelligence agencies of the country in judicial matters.Hearing human rights cases at the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that he was disappointed at the reported statement of the Islamabad High Court’s judge and dispelled the impression about the interference in the judiciary. The chief justice observed that the judiciary is independent and no one could dare dictate the judiciary.The CJP observed that judges believe in the rule of law and deliver judgments under the law and the Constitution. He observed that the reported statement of IHC judge was unacceptable and shall be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and all facts shall be brought before the nation.The chief justice dispelled the impression and called complete record from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority of the reported speech of IHC judge at the Rawalpindi Bar Association.Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a press release said: "An honourable judge of Islamabad High Court of Pakistan has levelled serious allegations against state institutions including honourable judiciary and the premier state intelligence agency."In order to safeguard the sanctity and credibility of the state institutions, Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan has been requested to initiate appropriate process to ascertain the veracity of the allegations and take actions accordingly."Also, Islamabad High Court Justice Shaukat Siddiqui on Sunday requested Chief Justice Saqib Nisar to constitute a judicial commission to probe into the former's allegations of certain institutions meddling in the judicial work.In a letter written to the CJP, Justice Siddiqui said that a commission be formed with a retired or serving judge as its head. He added that the judge should not be someone who took oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order initiated by former military dictator Pervez Musharraf.

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DERA ISMAIL KHAN/BANNU: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate for provincial assembly constituency PK-99 Sardar Ikramullah Khan Gandapur was martyred and five others were injured in a suicide bombing near Nuri Darbar in Mohallah Kamalkhel in Kulachi tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan district on Sunday.It was learnt that Ikramullah Gandapur was leaving the residence of one Ikram Kamalkhel and was about to board his vehicle when the blast took place. He had gone there in connection with his election campaign.There were reports that a suicide bomber blew up near the vehicle of Ikramullah Gandapur, whose brother Israrullah Gandapur was also martyred in a suicide attack in Dera Ismail Khan in October 2013.The blast left Ikramullah Gandapur, his driver Mohammad Ramazan, former union council nazim Najeeb Shah, gunman Dilnawaz and Abdur Razzaq and a passer-by Saifur Rehman injured.Soon after the blast, officials of the Rescue 1122 and the local people shifted the injured to the Civil Hospital and the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dera Ismail Khan. Police officials said Ikramullah Gandapur succumbed to his injuries at the CMH. The condition of his driver Mohammad Ramazan was stated to be critical.The vehicle of Ikramullah Gandapur and the nearby houses were also damaged in the blast. The attack was carried out in a narrow street surrounded by houses on both sides. Another vehicle with armed guards was following Ikramullah Gandapur’s vehicle and its occupants later rushed towards the site of the blast to help the injured. The police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to nab the suspects.Dera Ismail Khan’s District Police Officer Manzoor Afridi was quoted as saying that at least eight to 10 kilograms of explosives were used in the attack.Meanwhile, the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack through its spokesman Mohammad Khorasani. He told The News in a phone call from an undisclosed location that the TTP targeted Ikramullah Gandapur after he got killed 12 of their colleagues and arrested some others.“We didn’t attack him because he was the PTI candidate. We specifically targeted Ikramullah Gandapur because he openly opposed and challenged us,” the TTP spokesman added. He identified the suicide bomber as Junaid. He reminded that TTP had also claimed responsibility for the assassination of Israrullah Gandapur.It may be mentioned that Israrullah Gandapur was martyred in the suicide attack at his residence on the day of Eidul Azha on October 16, 2013. He was receiving guests offering Eid greetings when the suicide bomber exploded near him. Israrullah Gandapur had thrice been elected MPA and was law minister in the PTI government when he was martyred.Meanwhile, Inam Khan, brother of Ikramullah and Israrullah Gandapur, while talking to a private news channel alleged that former KP minister Ali Amin Gandapur was involved in the murder of his two brothers. He said he had brought the issue into the notice of Imran Khan and other party leaders, but no action was taken. He appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of the assassination of his two brothers to uncover the real killers.Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (R) Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan condemned the assassination of the PTI candidate Ikramullah Gandapur in the suicide attack and sought report of the incident from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.As per the official communiqué issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), KP chapter, the CEC directed the caretaker chief minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief and chief secretary to submit to him a detailed report of the incident. The CEC questioned why proper security was not being provided to the candidates during election campaign even after repeated directives from the Election Commission. The CEC once again directed the provincial government to provide proper security to the candidates without any discrimination and ensure peaceful environment for the July 25 general election. He offered condolence to the family members of late Ikramullah Gandapur.Meanwhile, former chief minister and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) candidate for National Assembly constituency NA-35 Akram Khan Durrani escaped unhurt in a firing incident in Mandori area in Bannu district.It was the second attack on Akram Durrani, who is a leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), in the last 10 days. It was learnt that unidentified gunmen opened fire on Akram Durrani’s vehicle in Mandori, located in the limits of Bannu Police Station. Though Akram Durrani remained safe, the windscreen of his vehicle was damaged in the firing.Eyewitnesses said that Akram Durrani, who served as chief minister in the MMA government from 2002-2008, was about to get off his vehicle to meet the people when the firing incident took place. Soon after the incident, the police and personnel of the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation during which a suspect was arrested. The police said that a sniper gun was used in the attack.It may be recalled that Akram Durrani, who served as federal minister as a nominee of the JUI-F in the PML-N government from 2013-2018, escaped unhurt on July 13 in a blast targeting his convoy in Howaid Khas area in Bannu. He was returning to Bannu city from Howaid village when a motorcycle stuffed with explosives and parked on the roadside occurred. Four persons were martyred and several injured in the attack.Earlier, the MMA candidate for provincial assembly constituency PK-89 Malik Shireen was attacked with a roadside blast in Bakkakhel area in Bannu. These incidents have caused concern among the election candidates and the people in the run-up to the polling day on July 25.APP adds from Rawalpindi: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed grief on the martyrdom of the PTI candidate Ikramullah Gandapur in a suicide attack.Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor shared a tweet with the message of the army chief.“We have lost another patriotic political leader who are being targeted by enemies of peace & democratic process. We stay determined & steadfast. Blood of our martyrs shall not go waste, IA (Insha Allah),” the COAS said.Meanwhile, Geo News reported that at least 20 people were injured after a hand grenade exploded outside Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) electoral office in Dalbadin on Sunday night. According to the police, the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital. The police and law enforcing agencies cordoned off the area and started an investigation into the incident.This is not the first attack on a BAP election campaign. A total of 149 people including BAP candidate Nawab Siraj Raisani were martyred in a suicide bombing at an election meeting in Mastung on July 13.

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ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will be shifted to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology from Adiala Jail today (Monday) after his health deteriorated Saturday evening.He is being shifted to the institute on the advice of doctors. A team of doctors from the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, led by Major General (R) Azhar Kayani, carried out medical examination of Nawaz Sharif. General Kayani told The News that Nawaz Sharif was already diabetic and a heart patient.He said the PML-N leader’s health deteriorated due to intense heat. An ECG test was conducted that’s not satisfactory. Kayani said doctors had advised administration of drips to overcome dehydration from exposure to intense heat.The Interior Ministry approved a summary forwarded by the Punjab Home Ministry Sunday night seeking Nawaz Sharif’s shifting to the hospital. On the other hand, sources said tests showed that Nawaz had high sugar level being diabetic and heart patient.He also had high Urea concentration in blood that could be damaging for the kidneys. Sources claimed that the former premier was not provided with air condition or room cooler exposing him to dehydration.They claimed that the jail administration did not allow Nawaz’s personnel physician Dr Adnan to treat him. IG Jail Shahid Saleem Baig visited Nawaz last Friday to convince him to send Maryam Nawaz to the Sihala Rest House.Nawaz asked Baig to allow his medical check-up, but he did not heed his request. The sources said Nawaz Sharif was not even allowed to offer Juma prayers. After deterioration in health, the jail doctors examined him but his health did not improve after which Major General (R) Kayani was requested to visit the jail along with a team and carry out medical check-up of Nawaz Sharif.The team suggested his immediate shifting to the hospital as delay in shifting might damage his kidneys. A report to this effect was dispatched to the authorities concerned after which it was decided that since Nawaz was sentenced by a NAB court of Islamabad; therefore, a medical board of PIMS should give his medical report by carrying out his medical examination. The decision to shift him to hospital would be taken in the light of this report.

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MULTAN: Pakistan Muslim League-N President Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday said Hanif Abbasi was leading with 70,000 votes against Sheikh Rasheed and that was why he was given a life term.Addressing an election meeting in NA-157 Multan-VI in Mauza Kayanpur, he said the PML-N was being pushed to the wall in Election 2018. He said the PML-N was being discriminated against ahead of elections, as its leaders were being dragged to the courts or put behind the bars. On the other hand, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was being facilitated and given relief in all the cases against Asif Ali Zardari. The orders for placing him and his sister on the exit control list (ECL) had been turned down until elections, he complained.He said the PTI and caretaker government in Punjab had joined hands against the PML-N. He warned if the PML-N voters were prevented from going to polling stations, everything would happen which nobody had ever expected.Shahbaz said the PML-N was organising fully-packed public meetings, while Imran Khan was addressing only empty chairs. He said fully-packed Multan NA-157 meeting has proved people would give votes to the PML-N on July 25 to get released Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Hanif Abbasi from jail.He appreciated the Election Commission of Pakistan for postponing the election in the constituency of Hanif Abbasi. He said Abbasi’s conviction was announced at midnight, which had no example in the world or the judicial history. He said Hanif Abbasi was the person who promoted sports across the province and put up chains of gymnasiums, sports complexes, cricket ground in the province.Shahbaz Sharif said shameful defeat of Sheikh Rasheed was writing on the wall now and he was losing his slot with the margin of 70,000 votes. He said he would visit family members of Hanif Abbasi to express solidarity with them.Shahbaz said Monday was the last day for election campaign and voters must realise that “a noble daughter has been arrested along with his pious father and both of them put in the jail”.The PML-N president said he was in Sargodha on Saturday when he received a call from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. He expressed solidarity with the Sharif family and offered his help in the present ordeal. Shahbaz said he thanked him and requested him to pray to God for the early release of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. The Turkish president also expressed his grief on Mastung and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa terrorism incidents.Mian Shahbaz Sharif said he would bring Pakistan on a par with Turkey in development and the Turkish president promised all his help in bringing Pakistan out of crises.Shahbaz said the PML-N government spent Rs27 billion on Khanewal-Lodhran Road, which reduced distance among cities. The PML-N government gifted the people of Multan with the Metro bus service and established a state-of-the-art kidney centre, a general hospital, a trauma centre, and a burns unit.Shahbaz announced that if the PML-N forms the government after 2018 elections, he would launch Metro project in Bahawalpur also.Shahbaz Sharif also sought pardon from the people of Multan over the mistakes committed by the PML-N candidates in the past. He promised that he would complete Multan Nishtar Hospital phase II in the shortest period of one year. He also promised establishing a University of Engineering and Technology in Multan.

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ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the NAB prosecutor in Nawaz Sharif case says the ‘competent authority’ — the executive board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) — has not asked him to file an appeal with the high court against part of the accountability court judgement declaring that the prosecution couldn’t prove the charges of corruption and dishonesty against the former prime minister.“An appeal could have been filed within 10 days of the announcement of judgement, but we couldn’t file it on our own. The decision to file an appeal against an order of the accountability court is taken by the competent authority,” NAB Deputy Prosecutor General (DPG) Sardar Muzaffar told The News.Under the NAB law, the bureau has the right to appeal this part of the verdict but the competent authority has decided not to file an appeal on this count.In an interview with The News, Muzaffar Abbasi said Nawaz Sharif was convicted under Section 9(a)(v) of the NAB Ordinance, as he could not give account of the resources to purchase the London flats and that this also falls in the definition of corruption and corrupt practices under the NAB law.Muzaffar admitted that the charge of corruption under Section 9(a)(iv) was also part of the NAB charge sheet against Nawaz but the court did not admit it.When told that following the latest judgments of superior judiciary Section 9(a)(v) had become redundant as even the Supreme Court had held that link of any property had to be established with commission of crime of corruption, he responded these judgments link Section 9(a)(v) with Section 9(a)(vi) and not with Section 9(a)(iv) as being interpreted in the media.“Our case was based on the charge that during investigations before the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) Nawaz Sharif couldn’t give an account of the resources to purchase London flats in early nineties and was guilty under Section 9(a)(v),” Muzaffar said, adding, “The court has acknowledged our basic argument and convicted the accused persons”.Asked whether or not the charge of corruption and dishonesty levelled under Section 9(a)(iv) was part of NAB charge sheet against Nawaz Sharif, Muzaffar said, “Yes, Nawaz Sharif was indicted under Section 9(a)(iv) and was acquitted of this charge”.Contrary to Abbasi’s view, the superior courts have held that four basic ingredients have to be proved for conviction of an accused under Section 9(a)(v) of NAB Ordinance.Senior most judge of the Supreme Court Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa had authored the judgement in the case of Ghani-ur-Rehman vs NAB (PLD 2011 Supreme Court 1144). Justice (R) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Justice (R) Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui were also part of the bench.Justice Khosa had held that mere possession of any pecuniary resources or property was by itself not an offence, but failure to satisfactorily account for such possession of pecuniary resources or property that makes the possession objectionable and constitute offence.Keeping all this debate and viewpoint of NAB prosecutor aside, it is important to mention here that Nawaz Sharif in his replies before the court hasn’t admitted the ownership of London flats and submitted that these flats were acquired by his father as a result of a known foreign investment and were transferred in the ownership of his son Hussain Nawaz in 2006 as inheritance. But, the JIT and NAB, without producing any evidence, insisted that these flats were purchased by Nawaz Sharif himself in early nineties and the accountability court held that it can be presumed that flats were purchased by Nawaz Sharif.However, when The News contacted senior lawyer Ikraam Chaudhry and explained him view point of NAB prosecutor and ingredients given in the Justice Khosa judgement, he replied that though the standard set in Justice Khosa verdict of connecting the purchase of property with the crime of corruption was not established in this case but still the Sharif family was not able to provide complete detail of money trail to purchase these properties.Ikraam said that in his view the conditions required under the law for the conviction under section 9(a)(v) were fulfilled.

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 Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan addresses to his supporters during public gathering meeting for General Election 2018 coming ahead on 25 July, at Jinnah Bagh in Karachi on Sunday, July 22, 2018.KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan, on Sunday said any conspiracy against the army tantamount to conspiracy against the country and vowed that the PTI will stand by the army.Addressing the PTI public gathering in Karachi, Imran said his political opponents, predominantly the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), are maligning the army because it is not taking any ‘do more’ calls from the international establishment.Imran Khan said the Indian media was so worried about transparent elections in Pakistan because they also want to protect the Sharifs. "Our country is united and stands fully behind the army for restoring peace in the country. How could peace be restored without the army's help," he said.Imran said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was maligning the army to please the foreign players who the military poses threat to. He referred to the pieces published by foreign media on the Pakistan’s 2018 general elections and specifically mentioned Indian media, saying that under a conspiracy all “enemies” of the country had gathered because during these polls they don’t see their backed candidates coming to power.The PTI chief said there could have been no peace in Karachi without Army operation. Referring to the violent past of the city, he said that police, being infested with political influence, was unable to protect the citizens.Criticising the traditional winners of Sindh’s mandate, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Imran said they did nothing in the past. “The PPP was from the interior Sindh, therefore, it did not care about Karachi,” he said, adding that the MQM used the excuse that they had no powers.Referring to the PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, he said that another room was being prepared adjacent to the Sharif’s in Adiala Jail. The PTI chairman Imran Khan said that a charter of democracy signed between the PPP and the PML-N was actually a charter of corruption. Supporters of Pakistani cricketer turned politician Imran Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) attend an election campaign rally by Khan´s ahead of the general election in Karachi on July 22, 2018. “It was a pact between two parties to take turns in the governments and corruption. You let us loot freely, then we let you loot freely,” he said. “People of Karachi, we are not fighting political parties, we are fighting mafias. And in this fight you have the heaviest responsibility to shoulder,” he said, adding, “People of Karachi, you are the most politically literate people. All major political movements have sparked from Karachi.”“The extent of hooliganism in Sindh is evident from Uzair Baloch's confession that he actually killed people at the behest of Asif Zardari and Faryal Talpur,” he said. Imran said Rangers had played a major role to restore law and order in Karachi. "It is unfortunate that Rao Anwar has been released," he lamented.Imran said the condition of Karachi's and interior Sindh's some areas is worse than 5,000 years old civilisation of Mohenjo Daro even. He called Karachi residents to use the golden opportunity to change the fate of the entire country."Our former minister Ikram Gandapur has been ruthlessly murdered in a suicide attack. Ikram's brother told me he was standing just 10 yards away from his brother before the blast," he said.He again alleged that the 2013 polls were rigged by returning officers, Najam Sethi and PML-N. Monitoring report adds: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has revealed that he did not see Bushra Maneka’s face till after they were married and that his earlier marriage to Reham Khan was “the biggest mistake” of his life.Speaking about his third marriage in February this year, Imran during an interview with Daily Mail said, “I did not catch a glimpse of my wife's face until after we were married. I proposed to her without seeing her because she had never met me without her face being covered with a full veil.”He added, “The only idea I had of what she looked like came from an old photograph I had seen in her house.” Imran explained that he had not seen Bushra Bibi’s face as the 39-year-old is a spiritual guide and “did not meet men other than her husband with her face uncovered, nor ventured unveiled outside her house, which she rarely leaves”.The mother-of-five and Imran met for the first time three years ago, when she was still married to her first husband, a senior Customs official named Khawar Fareed Maneka. However, when Bushra Bibi finally did remove her veil, Imran said, “I was not disappointed, and now I am happily married.”The PTI chairman did admit that back in the 1980s, it would “have been unthinkable if someone had told me I would marry someone whose face I hadn't seen. I would have thought they were mad”. But Imran insisted that, along with much else, his attitude to relationships has changed.“I have gradually realised that although I know more about physical attraction than anyone else, actually the character of a person and the mind, the intellect, is much more important than the physical, because in my experience that has the smallest shelf life. That is what keeps the interest. I have great respect for my wife's intellect and character,” he said.Speaking about his marriage to broadcast journalist Reham Khan, Imran said, “Normally I don't say anything about Reham, but I will say this: I've made some mistakes in my life, but my second marriage has to be the biggest.” As for Jemima, they are 'of course' still good friends.Further, Imran denied reports that his main reason for marrying Bushra Bibi was that it was politically astute. He admitted that he was once “a totally non-spiritual person”, but his “spiritual journey” has already lasted decades.“My interest in Sufism started 30 years ago. It changed my life,” he said. “Sufism is an order with many levels, but I have never met anyone who is as high as my wife. My interest in her began with that.”Imran further said Bushra Bibi's sister who is a PTI member introduced them when he was struggling to understand the teachings of a 13th Century Sufi saint. He said he used to visit Bushra Bibi's house to listen to her explain these and other religious complexities: “I would go and meet her and read the books she would recommend.”Gradually, the visits became more frequent, and they began to grow close personally. But he said he would never have dreamed of proposing to her had she not got a divorce last year. After a short interval, it was in January “when I proposed to her without seeing her face”, he said.Further, Imran said that he does win the election and becomes prime minister, Bushra Bibi will not attend official functions. “She meets very few people, but it suits me fine. I am past the age of socialising. I am quite happy with this life,” he said.

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ISLAMABAD: Amid a stream of views coming in support and against the sentencing of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hanif Abbasi from NA-60, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Sunday notified postponement of the election in this constituency of Rawalpindi.The Election Commission said that while preparations for the general elections were in their final stages and ballot papers for the constituency were already printed with Hanif Abbasi's election symbol on them, the ECP is bound to provide a level playing field to all candidates. It said the election in NA-60 is postponed and will be conducted after the scheduled general elections, along with other postponed elections.Hanif Abbasi was contesting the election mainly against the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed from NA-60. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not have a covering candidate in the constituency. Sheikh Rasheed enjoys full support of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as well.“Whereas only two days are left to the conduct of the elections, when Hanif Abbasi, a potential candidate from NA-60 has been disqualified, which has resulted into a heated debate in the media and political circles rendering the atmosphere as full and negativelycharged and; whereas the serious criticism is afloat qua the provision of level-playing field in the general election…and whereas the Election Commission of Pakistan, having taken cognisance of all attending circumstances is bound to provide a level playing field to the contestants under the Constitution and the law, particularly the Section 4 of the Elections Act, 2017 read with Article 218(3) of the Constitution and the powers of the Election Commission defined by the August Supreme Court of Pakistan in famous Workers Party case…”, the notification says.Now, the election in NA-60 will be conducted along with other constituencies, where the poll process had been already postponed, following the July 25 elections for which a schedule will be duly issued.It is pertinent to mention that the law provides for postponement of election in case of death of a candidate. Section 73 of the Elections Act, 2017, says that “if a contesting candidate dies before commencement of the poll or during the polling hours, the returning officer shall, by public notice, terminate the proceedings relating to that election”.Under this law, polls have been also delayed in PS-87 Malir, following death of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan candidate Sharif Ahmed Khan in a road accident, PK-78 Peshawar after death of Awami National Party (ANP) candidate Haroon Bilour in a suicide attack and NA-103 and PP-103 constituencies of Peshawar due to death of independent candidate Mirza Mughal.Elections were also delayed in PB-35 Mastung after a terrorist attack, which claimed at least 149 lives including that of Balochistan Awami Party candidate Siraj Raisani. Similarly, polls have been postponed in PP-87 Mianwali after death of Ahmed Khan, a candidate of Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party. Some candidates have been also disqualified already but polling will take place as usual; they include Rana Asif Tausif, Sardar Ghulam Abbas and Rai Hasan Nawaz.

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