'N' bags NA-68; NA-155 goes to Independent

PML-N candidate won the NA-68 Sargodha by-poll Thursday while the PPP candidate was certain to grab NA-100 Gujranwala-VI as he was enjoying around eight thousand votes led with only ten polling stations remaining. In Lodhran, where by-election was held in NA-155, a PML-N-backed independent candidate, Akhtar Kanju, was declared victorious. According to a private TV channel, Shafqat Hayyat of PML-N bagged 90,253 votes while the PPP-backed independent candidate Mazhar Qureshi managed 56,747 votes in NA-68 Sargodha. In NA-100 Gujranwala-VI, PPP candidate Chaudhry Tasadduq Masood had so far obtained bagged 69,154 votes while his rival from PML-N, Azhar Qayyum Nahra, polled 61,818 votes from 216 polling stations with results were awaited from remaining ten. In NA-155 Lodhran-II, PML-N backed independent candidate Akhtar Kanju got 74,100 votes against while 64,213 of the PPP candidate, Hayyat Ullah Tarin. The by-elections in Sargodha and Lodhran were held for the seats vacated by the PML-N and the PPP MNAs respectively for holding fake degrees. In Gujranwala, an independent MNA, who later joined the PML-N, had vacated his seat over the same issue. APP adds: Polling was held Thursday for by-elections in NA-68 Sargodha, NA-100 Gujranwala and NA-155 Lodhran smoothly and peacefully in a fair, free, impartial and transparent manner. Armed contingents of Rangers along with police patrolled around all polling stations to maintain law and order. According to Provincial Election Commissioner Akhtar Hussain Sabir, the law enforcers assisted the election staff for holding the by-polls. He said the election material was provided timely to the polling officers as per election plan. We had made foolproof elaborate arrangements for conducting smooth and fair by-polling, he said, adding that all voters were facilitated to exercise their right to vote with their free will. Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Hamid Ali Mirza had already banned the entry of police into polling stations and polling booths unless and until required by the presiding officer concerned. He had also empowered all presiding officers to exercise the powers of a 1st Class Magistrate under the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 (Act V of 1898) on the day of polling in respect of the offence punishable under Section 80, 82-A to 87 and Section 190 of the Act for summary trials. Akhtar further stated that police was always deployed to maintain law and order outside the polling stations in connection with the conducting of transparent polling and they were never allowed to enter the premises without the presiding officers concerned authority. When contacted, RPO Sargodha Javed Islam said sufficient number of armed and mobile police contingents were deployed in NA-68, especially around the all polling stations with a focus on sensitive areas.