SHEIKHUPURA - PML-N candidate Hassan Riaz on Thursday won the by-election in PP-162, consisting of Narang Mandi and tehsil Ferozewala areas, with a big margin.
In the May 2013 general elections, Khurram Gulfam was elected an MPA on the PML-N ticket. On his death, the party ticket was awarded to his nephew, Hassan Riaz.
According to unofficial results, the winning candidate secured 39,816 votes while his rival, Usman Nisar Pannu, backed by PPP, bagged 20,112 votes. Reportedly, PTI, JI and PML-Q were also supporting the PPP-backed candidate. Hassan Riaz won the election with the lead of 19,704 votes.
Several incidents of aerial firing and scuffle between the supporters of the rival candidates also took place due to which the voting process remained suspended for some time. The supporters of the winning candidate showered currency notes on him and resorted to jubilant firing.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took serious notice of the aerial firing and ordered stern action again the accused. Following the CM’s orders, Narang police arrested four people, identified as Waqas Sikandar, Mian Adil, Ghaffar and Irfan, on charge of resorting to jubilant aerial firing at the Dera of the winning candidate, Hassan Riaz, in which one person sustained bullet injuries.
Total registered votes in the constituency were 128,062 while polled votes as per unofficial results were 62,750. As many as 123 polling stations had been set up. Of them 30 polling stations had been declared sensitive.
The turnout remained 49 percent.