The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced Wednesday that by-elections for eight National Assembly seats, that fell vacant after the NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of PTI MNAs, would be held on October 16, Aaj News reported.

The resignations of Shireen Mazari, Ali Muhammad Khan, Ijaz Shah, Farrukh Habib, Shandana Gulzar, Fazal Muhammad, Fakhar Zaman, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Jameel Ahmed, and Akram Cheema were approved by the NA speaker.

The eight constituencies, where by-polls are being held, include NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda, NA-31 Peshawar, NA-45 Kurram, NA-108 Faisalabad, NA-118 Nankana Sahib, NA-237 Malir, and NA-239 Karachi.

ECP postpones by-polls in 13 constituencies due to floods

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had announced to contest the by-elections on nine seats.

The by-elections on these seats were originally scheduled to be held during September but were postponed due to the damages caused by floods and rains.

ECP schedules Karachi local bodies elections for October 23

Earlier on Wednesday, ECP also announced to hold local bodies elections in all seven districts of Karachi on October 23.

“The dates for local bodies elections in nine districts of Hyderabad will be announced later,” the ECP said in a statement.

Last month, the ECP postponed the second phase of local bodies elections in Sindh for the second time due to rains and the risk of urban flooding.