SIALKOT/LAHORE - Nosheen Iftikhar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz won the race with thousands of votes, defeating
PTI’s Ali Asjad Malhi as elections in Daska NA-75 by-poll held peacefully and under tight security arrangements on Saturday. According to unofficial results, Nosheen Iftikhar bagged 111,220 votes from 360 polling stations while the ruling PTI’s Ali Asjad Malhi got 92,019 votes.
Polling began at 8:00am and continued uninterrupted till 5:00pm in the constituency amid close contest between the PTI and the PML-N. After 5pm, only those voters who were inside the polling stations were allowed to cast their votes.
Following the election win, PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the party workers and said that it was the victory of people and the vote. He claimed that vote-stealing and selected mafia faced defeat in Daska by polls.
Earlier, District Police Officer Abdul Ghaffar Qaisarani said that there was a complete ban on displaying and possessing licensed/unlicensed weapons during the NA-75 by-election. Talking to the media, he said that no one would be allowed to disturb peace in the constituency and criminal elements would be dealt with iron hands. He said that strict security arrangements had been made for peaceful polling in NA-75.
He said that Rangers and police personnel had been deployed inside and outside all polling stations, adding that 4162 police personnel had been deployed at 360 polling stations in NA-75. He said that 4 SPs, 12 DSPs, 32 inspectors, 47 sub-inspectors, 176 assistant sub-inspectors, 37 head constables, 1444 constables, 150 ladies constables, 102 reserve police personnel, 20 elite police teams were on security duty at polling stations. The DPO said that security of voters and candidates would be ensured at all costs and polling in by-elections would be ensured peaceful.
Punjab govt took steps for transparent by-poll
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the traditional mindset and attitude of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) bar it from accepting the fair and free election results. She stated this while talking to media persons at Civil Club Daska here on Saturday evening. SACM said that our competition was not with the political party but with the drug dealers.
Dr Firdous said, “PML-N never accepts defeat but only celebrates victories.”
She said that the provincial government took all the possible steps as per the direction of Election Commission to hold fair and transparent election in NA-75. Dr Firdous said that the PML-N MPAs and MNAs were visiting the polling stations despite of the ban from the Election Commission and urged the Elections Commission to take action in this regard. SACM said, “People of Daska will stand with Prime Minister Imran Khan.” She also thanked to the PTI ally PML-Q over their support in the NA-75 Sialkot-IV Daska by-election.
PML-N MPAs influencing election process in NA-75 Daska: Gill
Earlier, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Political Communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill on Saturday said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)’s MPAs were openly influencing the election process during by-polls in NA-75 Daska.
He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should take notice of the violations of election code of conduct by the PML-N MPAs in constituency.
In a tweet, Gill said that restrictions should be imposed uniformly during electoral process, and all concerned officers and staff should observe their duties as per the election code of conduct.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided that the presiding officers will sign the Form 45 (final results) inside the polling stations in the presence of polling agents of the respective candidates before they leave the premises, while no political figure will be allowed to meet the RO while receiving the election results. The NA-75 seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N MNA Syed Iftikharul Hassan alias Zahry Shah in August 2020. The by-poll was delayed for six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ECP had withheld the results of the Feb 19 by-poll in Daska due to violence, rigging and the disappearance of over 20 presiding officers and ordered a fresh reelection in the entire constituency. The order was later upheld by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.