KARACHI/Peshawar - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) managed to reclaim a national and a provincial seat vacated by the incumbent President Dr Arif Alvi and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail.
The ruling party however lost a provincial seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to an Awami National Party candidate, who enjoyed the backing of the joint opposition.
According to unofficial results of 96 percent polling stations of NA-247 (South-II) in Karachi, PTI’s Aftab Siddiqui took unassailable lead against his rivals as he polled 31,366 votes.
He was followed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan candidate Sadiq Iftikhar – who bagged 13,544 votes – and Pakistan Peoples Party’s Qaiser Nizamani – who secured 12,133 votes.
Karachi deputy mayor and Pak Sarzameen Party leader Arshad Vohra and seven independent candidates were also in the run but they all failed to make impact.
There are a total 546,451 registered voters – 295,567 men and 250,884 women – in the constituency but the turnout remained very low.
Dr Alvi, who had emerged victorious in the general elections by securing over 90,000 votes, vacated the seat after being elected as the President of Pakistan. This is the third consecutive time that the PTI won this seat as Alvi had won from here in the general polls of 2008 as well.
In the contest for provincial constituency of PS-111 (South-V), PTI’s Shahzad Qureshi won by pocketing 10,761 votes, according to unofficial results of 72 out of 80 polling stations.
PPP’s Muhammad Fayyaz Pirzada bagged 4,497whereas, the MQM-P candidate Dr Jahanzaib Mughal secured 1,868 votes. The PTI won this provincial seat also for the third consecutive time.
PS-111 was vacated by incumbent Sindh Governor Imran Ismail who after being nominated as the governor had resigned as MPA. He had won this seat in July general elections by securing 30,576 votes against Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal candidate Sufiyan - who bagged 8,753 votes.
The polling in both constituencies concluded peacefully as no major security related issue was reported. PTI candidate for NA-247 Aftab Siddiqui requested the Election Commission of Pakistan to extend the polling time by an hour but his plea was turned down.
President Dr Arif Alvi along with his wife and other family members cast his vote at a polling station in DHA Model School, Phase-VII of the Defence Housing Authority.
When asked, the president chuckled that he voted for his favourite party and candidate but cannot disclose it in front of the media.
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail also cast his vote at a polling station established in DHA girls’ college Phase-VIII.
Following the provisional results, the jubilant PTI supporters gathered at Sea View, dancing to the party tunes and raised slogans in favour of the Prime Minister Imran Khan. They also carried out fireworks.
Addressing to the workers, PTI Karachi President Khurram Sher Zaman congratulated both the winning candidates of his party. He hailed their candidates for running an ‘excellent’ election campaign.
Zaman said that his party chief believed that whenever free and fair elections are held in Karachi, PTI would win easily. “We have Karachi’s majority of MNAs and MPAs and will win the next local bodies election as well,” he claimed.
He added that his party would also form the government in Sindh after marking victory across the province in the next general elections.
PK-71 elections
Awami National Party candidate Salahuddine Khan won from PK-71 constituency of Peshawar by defeating PTI candidate Zulfiqar.
According unofficial results, Salahuddin got 11,257 votes while Zulfiqar secured 9,854 votes.
The seat was vacated by KP Governor Shah Farman and later his brother was awarded party ticket to face Salahuddine – a former PTI dissident who had the backing of the opposition parties including PPP, JUI-F and Jamaat Islami.
Amid tight security, the polling was started at 8am and lasted till 5pm. Heavy contingent of police and security forces were deployed for security during the polling process.
There were total 86 polling stations and 307 polling booths –188 for male and 119 for women voters. The constituency has a total 133,461 voters –79,846 men and 53,615 women.
There were reports that some people announced on loud speakers in local mosques to come out and poll against PTI. However, the Election Commission directed additional assistant commissioner to visit the area and take notice of the announcements.
The PTI candidate alleged that ANP candidate was involved in making the announcement.
After the victory of Salahuddin, ANP workers thronged his Hujra and danced to celebrate the win. Sounds of aerial firing were also heard, however, no action was taken against the persons involved in the aerial firing.
VICTORY REFLECTS PUBLIC TRUST IN IMRAN: FAWAD
APP adds: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Sunday said the victory of PTI candidates in bye-poll held in Karachi reflected the public trust in Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government.
“People of Karachi have opted for national politics by rejecting the ethnic one. By the grace of Allah, this will herald the bright future of Pakistan,” he remarked in a tweet.