ISLAMABAD  -   Although the by-elections results on 11 National Assembly seats across the country have literally no significant impact on the numerical parity of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf and main opposition Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) in the lower house of the Parliament, yet politically it is a big blow to the government as it has lost some of the seats it had convincingly won in the July 25 general elections.

PTI has won four NA seats in by-elections but lost two of the four seats vacated by Prime Minister Imran Khan after July 25 victory while another seat vacated by PTI leader Major (retd) Tahir Sadiq from Attock was also snatched by the PML-N candidate.

However, Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) has won both the seats vacated by Punjab Assembly Speaker Ch Pervaiz Elahi and next generation of Chaudhrys from Gujrat won both NA-69 and NA-65 seats with a convincing lead.

Ch Shujaat Hussain’s son Salik Hussain has won the election from Chakwal (NA-65) while his cousin and son of Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Moonis Elahi, has won the seat from Gujrat (NA-69) vacated by his father.

PTI has lost the seats vacated by Imran Khan from Bannu (NA-35) and Lahore (NA-131). The seat in Bannu was clinched by JUI-F’s Zahid Khan Durrani, the son of former Khyber Pakhtunkhawa chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, while Kh Saad Rafique has won NA-131 defeating PTI’s Humayun Akhtar. Previously, he (Saad) had lost the election from this seat to Prime Minister Imran Khan with thin lead.

However, PTI managed to retain the other two seats vacated by Prime Minister Imran Khan — NA-53 Islamabad won by Ali Nawaz Awan and NA-243 Karachi, won by Mohammad Alamgir Khan.

Political analysts say that PML-N gain in the by-polls is a massive blow to the ruling PTI as usually the ruling party is on advantage. Though the results would have a little impact on the party position in Lower House of the Parliament where the PTI and its allies are having simple majority, yet the victory of PML-N on sizeable national and provincial assemblies’ seats would definitely be a morale booster for the main opposition party.

Similarly, the results are more or less similar on the provincial assemblies’ seats where some of the otherwise confirmed seats of PTI have been lost and PML-N and other parties have defeated them.

PML-N has regained the lost ground in the Punjab’s metropolis Lahore and adjoining Faisalabad by winning three National Assembly seats one of which was earlier lost to Imran Khan in general elections (NA-131) while the other was won by Hamza Shehbaz and election on NA-103 (Faisalabad) was put off due to the death of one of the candidates in the run.

The victory of PML-N would strengthen their narrative of alleged rigging in the July 25 general elections and now they would more forcefully raise the issue both in the Parliament and in public.

While the setback to PTI in the by-elections on the seats which the party had won in the general elections quite convincingly, would be a time for retrospection and to revisit their policies and decisions which have led to their losing the public support in a very short span of time.

Meanwhile, in the neck-and-neck by-elections on 11 vacant seats of National Assembly, the PTI and its allied parties, PML-Q and Pakistan Awami Muslim League, won six while PML-N and its allied party JUI-F have won five seats.

In reality, the ruling alliance led by PTI lost three seats now grabbed by the PML-N and JUI-F because these seats were won by the PTI in general elections held in July.

Three seats won by the PTI and allied parties in general elections and now grabbed by PML-N and JUI-F are in Bannu, Lahore and Attock districts.

One in Rawalpindi NA- 60 has been won by PTI and Awami Muslim league, While PML-N has won NA seat in Faisalabad.

Similarly, there have been surprises for PTI and its allied parties in by-elections held on 25 provincial assemblies’ seats especially in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to unofficial results received the PML-N and ANP have gained on provincial assembly seats in the two provinces. In Sindh PPPP has won the two seats.

In Balchistan, BNP (Mengal) which is also coalition partner of the PTI has won one seat, while an independent candidate and former chief minister Aslam Raisani has also won one provincial seat.

Staff Reporter from Lahore adds: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi won election from NA-124 by grabbing 69,339 votes, defeating PTI’s Dewan Ghulam Mohhiuddin who managed to get 28,283. This constituency was vacated by Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz.

PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafiq defeated PTI’s Humayun Akhtar in NA-131. As per details garnered, Kh Saad grabbed 60,476 votes while his main opponent managed only 50,456 votes.

PM Imran Khan vacated this constituency along with other three as he retained seat from his native constituency in Mianwali.

According to a private TV channel, former Balochistan chief minister Nawaz Aslam Raisani won PB-35 seat from Mastung.

Talking to media men in Islamabad, Spokesperson of Election Commission of Pakistan Nadeem Qasim said 95 percent results have been received so far through Result Transfer System (RTS).

He said that 85 percent of overseas Pakistanis have utilized their right of vote in by-elections through i-voting system for the first time. He said election commission of Pakistan will decide about inclusion of these votes in result tabulation.

Agencies add: PTI candidate Mansoor Hayat Khan has won the National Assembly Constituency NA-63 Rawalpindi-VII by-election by securing 71,782 votes. According to the unofficial results issued by Returning Officer on Sunday, Aqeel Malik of PML-N finished second by obtaining 45,490 votes.

PTI candidate Shaikh Rashid Shafique has won the National Assembly Constituency NA-60 Rawalpindi-VII by-election by securing 44,483 votes. According to the unofficial results issued by Returning Officer, Sajjad Khan of PML-N finished second by obtaining 43,836 votes.

Pakistan Muslim League’s candidate Chaudhry Moonis Elahi has won the National Assembly Constituency NA-69, Gujrat-II by-election by securing 65,759 votes. According to the unofficial results issued by Returning Officer, Imran Zafar of PML-N finished second by obtaining 14,956 votes.

PTI candidate Ali Nawaz Awan has won the National Assembly Constituency NA-53 Islamabad-III by-election by securing 50,943 votes. According to the unofficial results issued by Returning Officer, Waqar Ahmed of PML-N finished second by obtaining 32,313 votes.

PML candidate Chaudhry Saalik Hussain has won the National Assembly constituency NA-65, Chakwal-II by-election by securing 100,917 votes. According to the unofficial results issued by Returning Officer, Muhammad Yaqub of TLP finished second by obtaining 32,326 votes.

MMA candidate Zahid Akram Durrani of JUI-F has won the National Assembly constituency NA-35, Bannu by-election by securing 60,944 votes. According to the unofficial results issued by Returning Officer, Nasim Ali Shah of PTI finished second by obtaining 37,489 votes.

PML-N candidate Malik Sohail Khan has won the National Assembly constituency NA-56, Attock-II by-election by securing 128,499 votes. According to the unofficial results issued by Returning Officer, Malik Khurram Ali Khan of PTI finished second by obtaining 86,906 votes.

 

PTI stays on top despite PML-N gains