RAWALPINDI, Aug 28 (INP): Local leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ruling party termed the award of party ticket to Sheikh Shafique, nephew of Sheikh Rashid for the NA-60 by-election nepotism, adding the decision was taken against merit. Election on the National Assembly seat was postponed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after the disqualification of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hanif Abbasi due to his conviction by the Control of Narcotics Substances Court in the ephedrine case. However, the ECP started the process for holding the by-election by issuing nomination papers to the candidates on Monday. Polling will be held on October 14 while the process of nomination papers submission will be finalised by Sept 16. In the July 25 election, the AML president was a candidate for NA-60 and NA-62. He won the NA-62 seat and wanted to field his nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafique in the by-election for NA-60. Shafique is a former nazim of Rawal Town. He also contested the 2002 election but lost to Hanif Abbasi who was then a candidate of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA). PTI central disciplinary committee member retired Brig Tipu Sultan told media that the decision to award the PTI ticket to Sheikh Rashid’s nephew was against merit and aimed at promoting family politics which was against the party’s policy. He said the decision was made without any due process. “Before awarding the ticket the party should have called applications from candidates and after this selection would be made on merit,” he said.