MULTAN – Veteran politician Javed Hashmi on Monday announced withdrawal from the election race in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Aamir Dogar, who will contest the February 8 general election in the NA-149 constituency.
“I am throwing my political weight behind the Tehreek-e-Insaf and Imran Khan and withdrawing from the elections,” Hashmi, who has been a part of the PTI and its arch-rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Hashmi was set to contest the election in the Multan constituency as an independent candidate, and his withdrawal might help the PTI, whose candidates are contesting on different symbols after losing their iconic ‘bat’ symbol.
Hashmi had won twice from NA-149 in 2008 on the PML-N’s ticket and in 2013 on the PTI ticket. However, after leaving the PTI, he relinquished the seat and in a by-election in 2014, Dogar defeated him. In 2018 as well, he had decided against running in elections.
While he has close ties with the PML-N, Hashmi said he stands by PTI founder Imran Khan as he and his party were facing testing times. “When Imran Khan was the ‘blue-eyed’, I stood by Nawaz Sharif.”
The senior politician said the cipher case against top PTI leaders — Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi — was baseless. “I know Shah Mahmood Qureshi; he’s not a traitor.”
Qureshi and Khan are behind the bars in the cipher case, with the prosecution alleging that the PTI leaders used the secret document for political gains.
Moving on, Hashmi said Nawaz has made “compromises” to come into power. He also lamented that might is right in Pakistan, adding: “People ask when will their issues be resolved? However, I don’t have an answer for them.”
Founded by Khan, the PTI rose to power in the centre in 2018 but was ousted in April 2022 via a no-confidence move. It has since been reeling from the back-to-back setbacks.
However, the party has vowed not to boycott the polls and run without its iconic electoral symbol. Since the ‘bat’ symbol has been taken away, all its candidates will be running with different signs.
