LAHORE:Former Governor of Punjab and two-time winner from the Bahawalpur City National Assembly seat Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman has decided not to contest NA-168 by-election which has fallen vacant as a result of the death of sitting MNA Malik Iqbal Channar.
Baligh ur Rehman won this seat consecutively in the 2008 and 2013 general elections and in the year 2018 he lost to PTI’s Farooq Azam Malik. In the year 2024, while Baligh ur Rehman was serving as the Governor of Punjab, PMLN fielded its three times MPA from Bahawalpur City, Malik Iqbal Channar. This is noteworthy that Malik Iqbal Channar had retired from election politics by 2018 when he fielded his son Malik Zaheer Iqbal who became MPA but situation once again forced him to jump into election arena in 2024, while PMLN was looking for a local strong figure in replacement of Baligh ur Rehman who was the governor then. Under these circumstances, PMLN pitched Malik Iqbal Channar against PTI-backed Sami Ullah Chaudhry and amid controversy attached to form 47, Malik Channar got elected as MNA for the first time in his career.
In this way, he served as MPA for three terms (2002/2008/2013) and became MNA in 2024. He remained un defeated throughout his political career. Baligh ur Rehman was the most likely candidate of PMLN but he himself decided not to contest the by-election on ‘personal reasons’.
Talking to The News, Baligh ur Rehman said that he was ticket holder of this seat and party fielded Malik Iqbal Channar while he was Governor. However, he said he would not contest the by-polls this time and leave it up to the party to decide the candidate. He said party was envisaging the entire situation and pondering over all possible options for this seat. Baligh ur Rehman, who hails from Mughal family, further said that party would have not much problems in maintaining its winning streak here in the by-poll.
Amongst the would-be candidates in the absence of Baligh, names of former MNA from Yazman, Chaudhry Saud Majeed and former Deputy Mayor, son of late Malik Iqbal Channar, Munir Channar is doing rounds. Polling for this seat will take place in the last week of September.
