Election results have started pouring in after the conclusion of the polling at 3,131 stations for Punjab by-polls in 20 constituencies. Voting was held in 20 constituencies of Punjab on Sunday after the seats fell vacant when their incumbents were de-seated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for voting against their party in an election for the new chief minister of Punjab. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members had decided to “vote for their conscience” and cast their ballots in favor of Hamza Shahbaz.
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.
As per unofficial, unconfirmed results, PTI is ahead on 16 seats including the 3 Lahore seats, while PLM-N is leading on 3 seats.
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.
PP-224 Lodhran-I
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Amir Iqbal Shah was leading polls at Lodhran’s PP-224 constituency at polling station 143 with 118 votes and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Zawar Hussain Waraich was on the second position with 8 votes.
At polling station 144, the PTI candidate got 180 votes and the PML-N candidate secured 12 votes.
At polling station 147, the PTI candidate got 115 votes and the PML-N candidate secured 25 votes.
PP-7 Rawalpindi
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 11 polling stations show that PTI candidate Colonel (retd) Muhammad Shabbir Awan is ahead with 1,842 votes while PML-N candidate is second with 1,832 votes.
PP-127 Jhang – IV
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 25 polling stations show that PTI candidate Mehar Muhammad Nawaz is ahead with 9,346 votes while PML-N candidate Mehar Muhammad Aslam is second with 6,208 votes.
PP-97 – Faislabad-I
According to unconfirmed and unofficial results from 15 polling stations, PTI candidate Ali Afzal Sahi was leading with 5,117 votes while PML-N candidate Muhammad Ajmal was on second position with 4,323 votes.
PP-217 – Multan VII
Unconfirmed and unofficial results from 32 polling stations show that PTI candidate and son of former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Makhdoom Zain Hussain, is ahead with 10,761 votes while PML-N candidate Muhammad Salman is second with 8,823 votes.3
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.
This is a developing story.
