Javed Hashmi withdraws from electoral race

MULTAN: Veteran politician and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Javed Hashmi officially withdrew from contesting the July 25 general election on Friday.

The returning officer announced that Hashmi will not be contesting from NA-155 and NA-158 constituencies of Multan, Hashmi's hometown.

In a press conference on Sunday, Hashmi, an old guard of the PML-N who recently rejoined the party after spending around three years in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, had announced his withdrawal from the election.

Hashmi had said he withdrew as the party did not award him a ticket but assured that he would support whoever contests the elections from the party's platform.  

He stated that he wants to work as a party worker and will campaign for party candidates across the country if called to do so. 

Javed Hashmi to rejoin PML-N: sources

Hashmi left the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after decades-long association and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in 2011.

The veteran politician and proponent of democracy has been contesting elections since the 1980s and was considered a loyalist of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif before leaving the party in 2011. 

Late last year, he rejoined the PML-N after having become disgruntled with the PTI.