General elections are around the corner and it’s time for Pakistanis to vote for a better Pakistan. With election campaigns getting stronger with every passing day, many political parties have introduced celebrities as electables in the quest to attract the crowd in the process of making it to the power corridors. They may have to endure a tough competition against the many experienced political stalwarts but the artistes seem more than determined to win voters through their campaigns. Here’s a look at all the popular faces of the entertainment industry contesting to get elected this time around.

Abrarul Haq

The singer is determined to go places and this time around, he is planning to go to National Assembly. Abrarul Haq is leaving no stone unturned to make his political journey all the more exciting, not just for himself but also for his fans. He’s contesting from the side of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and is competing against Ahsan Iqbal in Narowal’s NA-78 constituency. Abrar joined PTI in 2011 and has since been actively participating in political activities. His popularity among locals and social work makes him a favoured electable for Imran Khan – founder of the party. However, for Abrar to be facing one of the most apt politicians of Punjab would not be a piece of cake, as Ahsan has had his fair share of supporters in the constituency whenever he’s competed in the polls.

Sajid Hassan

After having worked for years in the entertainment industry, Sajid Hassan has finally dipped his toes in the political stream. He is one of the most vocal celebrities and has always shared his opinions over various matters. Be it the low quality drama serials being made these days or the political climate in general, Hassan has always had a no-nonsense approach towards everything. This veteran actor forayed into hosting a political show on a rather notorious news channel, but it was now time for him to step into serious politics following his inclusion in the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). After receiving the party ticket to contest upcoming elections, Sajid took to Twitter to make the announcement. He will be contesting in the polls from the NA-256 constituency and seems rather delighted at the prospect of having had the opportunity to be nominated in the run to National Assembly.

Jawwad Ahmed

The singer has crooned for years singing hit numbers like Mehndi, Bin Terey Kya Hai Jeena, Dosti and Dholna, to name a few, and is now all set to contest the upcoming elections with his own political party called Barabri Party Pakistan. Jawwad got his party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Karachi and will be running for the NA-246, NA-131 and NA-132 seat against political biggies like Bilawal Bhutto, Imran Khan and Shahbaz Sharif. Even though this might seem like a tough nut to crack for this singer-turned-philanthropist-turned-politician, one can never tell what fate might have in store for Jawwad. The Islamabad-based artiste might gather votes following his years of entertaining the masses, as well as his welfare project, Education For All.

Ayub Khoso

Be it in dramas or films, people love him for his effortless portrayals on-screen. Off-screen, Ayub Khoso is a man with whom one can sit and have a thorough conversation on all things intellectual. This talented actor from Quetta has proved his mettle as a performer and his career spans over almost three decades, but it is now time for him to prove how successful he can be as a politician, considering his affiliation with the country’s democracy-endorsing \ party PPPP. Khoso has received a party ticket to run for the provincial constituency PS-101 (Karachi East-III) and keeping in mind his welfare work, one shouldn’t be surprised if he does, in fact, make it to Sindh’s provincial assembly.

Gul-i-Rana

Popularly known as the loving mum in mystery drama Shaista Shaista, Gul-i-Rana will be representing PPPP from the PS-94. Her talent as an actor is versatile but one will find out if she has the potential to turn into a lawmaker if she wins the provincial seat in Sindh. With her party’s women-friendly approach, Gul-i-Rana has been given a ticket to run in the upcoming general elections from Korangi’s densely populated area. This is certainly a difficult constituency for a newcomer like her to take a chance with, but considering the woes of citizens regarding issues like water scarcity and electricity, Sindh’s former ruling party has made a rather smart choice of using an admired celebrity for the polls.

Abbas Jafri

You must be living under a rock if you haven’t heard of Abbas Jafri. The guy is indeed multitalented, for he has done modelling, shown his prowess in sports, worked for the welfare of people and is now, running for the provincial assembly in the forthcoming elections. Jafri has been given a ticket for PS-125 by PTI and has been associated with the party for quite some time now. More than his experience of working in the entertainment industry, according to Abbas, he has been chosen to contest the elections following his work in the social sector and philanthropy. He’s won two LUX Style awards for being the most prominent face in the industry in 2011 and 2012, respectively.