Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday stopped Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister for Information Firdous Ashiq Awan from resigning her post, 24News HD TV channel reported.

Earlier today, Firdous offered resignation to her leadership for participating and backing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate in the Sialkot by-elections in PP-38 scheduled for July 28.

Talking to media persons at Director General Public Relation (DGPR) office here in Lahore, Firdous said the PM had rejected her resignation and advised her to continue her job in the province.

She said misappropriations of the opposition were being exposed in Azad Kashmir and Sialkot elections but the voters could not be fooled anymore. She said the PTI would come into power after winning elections in Kashmir with the majority.

Firdous said both the constituencies—PP-38 Sialkot and LA-36 Azad Kashmir—falling under her native area and Election Commission (EC) was sending her notices in which she had already appeared before them through the lawyers or herself.

"I do not want a tussle on a daily basis with the ECP on the grounds of her appearance in her native constituency during the by-elections so offered a resignation," she said.

The PP-38 seat fell vacant after the demise of PML (N) MPA Khush Akhtar Subhani.

The PTI awarded ticket to Ahsan Saleem Baryar who is the son of PML-Q Punjab senior vice president Saleem Baryar. Ms Awan handed over the PTI ticket to Ahsan Baryar in Islamabad last month.

The PML-N has fielded Tariq Subhani, the younger brother of deceased MPA Khush Akhtar Subhani. A total of 18 candidates are contesting in the polls.

Reporter Qazafi Butt, Awais Kiyani