BAHAWALPUR: As many as 13 candidates on Tuesday withdrew the nomination papers they had filed for NA-168, Bahawalpur-V, by-election, announced the returning officer (RO) concerned.
Most of those who withdrew their papers were independent candidates, including Tariq Bashir Cheema, PTI-backed Samiullah Chaudhry and Ageel Najam Hashmi.
After they withdrew from the contest, 20 candidates are in the run for NA-168, including the PML-N nominee Malik Munir Channar and Tariq Cheema’s son Wali Dad Cheema, who is independent.