Celebrations in the PTI camp are in full swing as preliminary, unofficial results in the by-election on 20 constituencies of Punjab, show the party clearly dominating the race.
According to the unofficial count, PTI has won 10, and is in the lead in six of 20 constituencies, while PML-N is ahead in only three, and an independent candidate is winning in one.
PTI's Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi, son of party vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has defeated PML-N's Muhammad Salman in PP-217 Multan VII, unofficial results from all the city's polling stations show.
Qureshi secured 46,963 votes as against Salman, who bagged 40,104.
The party also emerged victorious in PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan IV, PP-202 Sahiwal VII, PP-83 Khushab II, PP-140 Sheikhupura VI, PP-282 Layyah III, PP-224 Lodhran I, PP-158 Lahore XV, PP-167 Lahore XXIV, and PP-170 Lahore XXVII.
An independent candidate, Syed Muhammad Rafi ud Din won PP-228 Lodhran V, with 45,020 votes as against PTI candidate Izzat Javaid Khan who bagged 38,338.
A breakdown of the latest unofficial, preliminary results is given below as they come in:
Election results have started pouring in after the conclusion of the polling at 3,131 stations for Punjab by-polls in 20 constituencies.
The counting of votes is still underway after polling concluded. The polling process was continued from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm uninterrupted before its conclusion amid reports of clashes and arrests.
PP-224 Lodhran-I
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Amir Iqbal Shah was leading with 30,780 votes, while Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Zawar Hussain Waraich was on the second position with 19,720 votes.
PP-7 Rawalpindi – II
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 47 polling stations show that PML-N candidate Muhammad Shabbir Awan is ahead with 15,607 while PTI candidate Colonel (retd) Muhammad Shabbir Awan is second with 15,236 votes.
PP-127 Jhang – IV
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 40 polling stations show that PTI candidate Mehar Muhammad Nawaz is ahead with 14,456 votes while PML-N candidate Mehar Muhammad Aslam is second with 9,840 votes.
PP-97 – Faislabad-I
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results from 23 polling stations, PTI candidate Ali Afzal Sahi was leading with 8,213 votes while PML-N candidate Muhammad Ajmal was on second position with 6,386 votes.
PP-217 – Multan VII
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 98 polling stations show that PTI candidate and son of former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Makhdoom Zain Hussain, is ahead with 36,992 votes while PML-N candidate Muhammad Salman is second with 31,945 votes.
PP-237 – Bahawalnagar – I
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results from 42 polling stations, PML-N candidate Fida Hussain was leading with 16,499 votes while PTI candidate Syed Aftab Raza was on second position with 4,904 votes.
PP-288 – Dera Ghazi Khan – IV
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 115 polling stations show that PTI candidate Sardar Mohammad Said-ud-Din Khosa is ahead with 45,335 votes while PML-N candidate Abdul Qadir Khan is second with 25,006 votes.
PP-83 – Khushab-II
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results from 58 polling stations, PTI candidate Hassan Malik was leading with 10,383 votes while Independent candidate Muhammad Asif Malik was on second position with 10,261.
PML-N candidate Amir Haider Sangha is at third position with 8,089 votes.
PP-170 – Lahore-XXVII
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 31 polling stations show that PTI candidate Malik Zaheer Abbas is ahead with 7,984 votes while PML-N candidate Muhammad Amin Zulqarnain is second with 4,553 votes.
PP-282 – Layyah – III
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results from 14 polling stations, PTI candidate Qaiser Abbas Khan was leading with 3,241 votes while PML-N candidate Muhammad Tahir was on second position with 3,088 votes.
PP-202 – Sahiwal-VII
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 75 polling stations show that PML-N candidate Malik Noman Ahmed Langrial is ahead with 22,645 votes while PTI candidate Muhammad Gulam Sarwar is second with 22,165 votes.
PP-90 – Bhakkar-II
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results from 30 polling stations, PTI candidate Irfan Ullah Khan Niazi was leading with 11,947 votes while PML-N candidate Saeed Akbar Khan was on second position with 9,131 votes.
PP-158 – Lahore-XV
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 50 polling stations show that PTI candidate Mian Muhammad Akram is ahead with 10,389 votes while PML-N candidate Rana Ahsan is second with 8,557 votes.
Cruciality of by-elections, PA number game
The by-polls on the 20 Punjab Assembly seats, vacated after the PTI MPAs voted for Hamza Shahbaz in the Chief Minister (CM) elections, were conducted on Sunday (today).
The results of the by-polls would be essential for the CM vote count, ordered by the Supreme Court (SC), in the Punjab Assembly in July 2022.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) needs to win a total of 11 seats in today’s by-elections to gain a majority to elect their chief minister in the biggest province of the country.
Previously, PML-N needs nine seats to get a majority in the Punjab Assembly but two of its Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) including Mian Jameel Ahmed Sharaqpuri and Faisal Niazi tendered their resignations.