Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to contest the by-election from Lahore [Images], local media reports said on Monday.

He will contest on a seat vacated by top PML-N leader Javed Hashmi, who won from three constituencies in the last general election.

Local daily The News said Sharif had finally decided to contest the by-election expected in the middle of May.

Five National Assembly seats have been vacated by the PML-N members, out of which two are in Rawalpindi and one each in Lahore, Sheikhupura and Multan. The election for NA-119 was postponed after the death of a candidate.

Sharif last contested an election in February 1997 from his Gawalmandi constituency in Lahore. He has won from the constituency five times consecutively.

There was a perception among the PML-N workers that if their leader opted for running in the by-election, he would contest for another National Assembly seat in Rawalpindi vacated by Javed Hashmi.

A senior party leader, requesting anonymity, said quite a number of party workers from NA-123 in Lahore were also insisting on him to contest from their constituency, from where the PML-N has won since 1990.

The ex-premiere of Pakistan, who returned to Pakistan last November after seven years in exile, was barred from taking part in February election pending corruption cases against him.