Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will contest the by-poll on NA-65 (Chakwal-II), which will be vacated by his cousin Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi who has won two National Assembly seats on PML-Q ticket, the party announced in Lahore on Saturday.

The NA-65 seat was offered by the PML-Q to Sardar Mumtaz Tamman, the Chaudhys of Gujrat said in a presser today. Tamman, who was accompanying them at the press conference, was of the view that it is important for Shujaat to be a part of the parliament which is why it was decided to field the former caretaker prime minister instead.

Ilahi has decided to retain NA-69 (Gujrat-II) while a by-poll will now be held on NA-65 as one individual can only hold a single seat according to the rules. The move will reduce PML-Q's seat tally in the lower house of the parliament to three, unless Shujaat wins the seat back for the party.

Ilahi had been able to win NA-65 because of Sardar Mumtaz Tamman's support who sided with the Chaudhrys after PML-N overlooked him to award the ticket for the constituency to his nephew, Faiz Tamman. The uncle and nephew are not on speaking terms with each other.

Mumtaz had defeated Ilahi for the NA contest in Chakwal in a by-election in 2010 as well as in 2013 on PML-N ticket.

PML-Q has already announced supporting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) candidates in Punjab as well as the centre for the leaders of the respective house.