ISLAMABAD: Despite setbacks in the biggest by-polls in the country’s history, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the two main rivals in the contest, made some gains, according to unofficial results of national and provincial assemblies in Pakistan.
The PTI lost on both seats vacated by Imran Khan after the May 11 general elections. In NA-1 Peshawar the PTI candidate Gul Badshah lost to Ghulam Ahmad Bilour of the Awami National Party, while in NA-71 Mianwali, the PTI’s Malik Wahid lost to the PML-N’s Obaidullah Shadikhel.
However, in a keenly contested fight in NA-48 Islamabad, the PTI candidate Asad Umar defeated PML-N’s Ashraf Gujjar.In another important contest in PP-247 Rajanpur, the PML-N lost the seat vacated by Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to the PTI.
In Sindh, the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) won the seats vacated. The ruling PML-N secured five, PPP three, PTI two, while the MQM, PkMAP and ANP bagged one seat each in the National Assembly, according to unofficial results, with the turn-out remaining low compared to the May 11 polls.
The Election Commission asked the concerned returning officers to hold back the result of NA-5 (Nowshera) and NA-27 (Lakki Marwat), where re-polling will be held in nine polling stations each of these constituencies after reports poured in that women voters were barred from casting their votes.
By and large, the by-elections were conducted in a peaceful and smooth manner. At the eleventh hour, polling was postponed in Tank, due to security reasons.As per the unofficial results, the PPP’s Shazia Marri, who made her way to the NA on a reserved seat after the general elections, appeared clearly leading against PML-F’s Khuda Bakhsh Dars from NA-235 (Sanghar/Umerkot).
PML-N’s Muhammad Shafqat Hayat appeared heading for a sure victory in NA-68, PML-N’s Shahid Bhatti in NA-103, Shazia Mubashir of the PML-N in NA-129, Ghulam Noor Rabbani Khar of the PPP in NA-177 against Jamshed Dasti’s brother Javed Khan, PPP’s Shamsunnisa Memon in NA-237, Ali Rashid of the MQM in NA-254 and Abdul Kahar of the PkMAP in NA-262. the PTI made further inroads in Punjab by winning from PP-247 Rajanpur on a seat vacated by Mian Shahbaz Sharif.
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