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The leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday claimed victory in the NA-75 by-polls although the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the results of 20 polling stations in the constituency were feared compromised.
Political opponents, some independent organizations, and international observers alleged that irregularities and election rigging occurred in different parts of the constituencies on Friday, particularly in Wazirabad and Nowshera PK-63).
By-elections in Punjab, KP
The voting process on Friday had commenced for by-elections in four constituencies including two vacant seats of the National Assembly (NA) and two seats of the provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has conducted by-elections on four vacant seats including NA-45 Kurram, NA-75 Sialkot, PP-51 Gujranwala and PK-63 Nowshera.
The NA-75 constituency in Tehsil Daska, District Sialkot was vacated after the death of PML-N’s MNA Syed Iftikharuddin in August 2020, while Punjab Assembly seat PP-51 Wazirabad fell vacant after the death of PML-N’s Chaudhry Shaukat Manzoor Cheema in June 2020 due to coronavirus.
Candidates
Nosheen Iftikhar, daughter of late Syed Iftikharuddin, had been given a party ticket in the NA-75 constituency. A tough contest has occurred between her and PTI’s Amjad Malhi. TLP’s Muhammad Khalil Sindhu and the other seven independent candidates.
Similarly, the wife of Chaudhry Shaukat Manzoor Cheema, Talat Manzoor Cheema was contesting elections on PP-51. Her main rival is the PTI candidate Chaudhry Yousuf Meher. Meanwhile, in NA-45 Kurram, PTI candidate Fakhar Zaman Khan was contesting against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Malik Jamil Khan. In Nowshera, a close fight between PML-N’s Ikhtiar Wali and PTI’s Omar Kakakhel on PK-63 occurred during the poll.
Poll marred by incidents of violence
During the polling, the situation remained tense in different localities falling in constituencies of Wazirabad Nowshera (Gujranwala PP-51 and Nowshera PK-63) which the PML-N has won, according to unofficial results, where incidents of violence were reported for which both the ML-N and the PTI blamed each other.
Two persons died and three others injured after unidentified armed suspects opened fire near four polling stations in Daska during the NA-75 by-election.
Armed clashes erupted between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers at different polling stations including, the Sohdra polling station in Wazirabad during the PP-51 poll. As a result, five people sustained bullet injuries, while two succumbed to their injuries.
Rigging allegations by PML-N
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz had claimed that PML-N workers caught persons working for the PTI “red-handed” allegedly stealing bagfuls of votes cast in NA-75 by-polls.
Maryam Nawaz released a series of videos as supposed proof of the claim on different socials media websites. She said our people caught the Presiding Officer of Virtual University Polling Station Wazirabad running away with a polling bag, the seal of which was broken. He has been brought before DRO.
She begins by claiming that PTI people were caught “red-handed stealing bagfuls of votes”. She said PML-N MPA Adil Chatta and Ataa Tarar were the ones to have caught the “culprit”. Maryam claimed the seal of the bag of votes was also broken and further accused the police of being “a part of the plan to steal votes for PTI”.
Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz also shared a video of the party’s secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal and deputy secretary-general Ataullah Tarar, claiming that preparations are being made to attempt to steal the PML-N’s already won seat.
“I am present in Daska and it is around 3:45 am. The PML-N candidate (Nousheen Iftikhar Shah) is winning. The returning officer has received results from 370 polling stations and seeing the win of the PML-N, the staff and record of 23 polling stations have been made to disappear,” Iqbal said in the video shared on Twitter.
PTI declared victory in the NA-75 by-polls
The leaders of PTI on Saturday claimed victory in the NA-75 by-polls although the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that results of 20 polling stations in the constituency were feared compromised.
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar criticized the opposition, saying that the parties accept the results only when they win and reject them when they lose.
He said the PTI has won from NA-75, urging the opposition to have the strength and accept the public’s decision. Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain congratulated PTI candidate Ali Asjad Malhi on “conquering the Daska battle” and demanded the ECP to announce the result “immediately”.
Contradicting the PML-N’s claims, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said Iqbal’s video statement was a “clear indication of the PML-N’s loss”.
He said if re-election was to be done, and then it should also be done for the by-polls in constituencies of Wazirabad and Nowshera (Gujranwala PP-51 and Nowshera PK-63) which the PML-N has won, according to unofficial results.
The poor performance of ECP
According to unofficial results, the PTI lost the by-elections in its stronghold, Nowshera PK-63, with the PML-N candidate winning the seat. However, the ECP had restrained officials from announcing the results of NA-75 Sialkot-VI as both the ruling party and PML-N claimed victory in the constituency.
In Sialkot, the district returning officer and returning officer of NA-75 had informed the ECP that they feared compromised results from 20 polling stations. The ECP stated that the incident makes the lack of administration and security evident.
KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan has taken strong notice of PTI’s defeat in the Nowshera by-election and has directed the authorities concerned to submit a detailed report on the matter on the basis of which a future plan of action would be formulated.
In NA-45 Kurram, the PTI candidate secured 16,911 votes while Jamiat Ulema-e Islam’s (JUI) Muhammad Jamil came in second place by securing 15,761 votes. The fact is that the Election Commission of Pakistan has not even announced the unofficial results and the federal ministers do not have the authorities to announce the results of any constituency. The ECP should conduct a fair inquiry over the matter and announcing results before any inquiry will not be acceptable.
PM has opportunity for rights-respecting govt
Most importantly, PM Imran Khan has an opportunity to create a rights-respecting government that can restore the public’s faith in democratic institutions. PM should amend or repeal discriminatory laws in all intuitions and hold accountable all who commit or incite violence for his own purposes. The PTI should nurture a culture of political tolerance for criticism and free expression. For real reforms, promises require to translate into action.
