QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) candidate Syed Azizullah Agha won the by-election of Balochistan Assembly’s vacant seat of PB-20 (Pishin-III) with a massive majority against his rival Asmatullah Tareen of ruling Balochistan Awami Party.
According to official results, Agha obtained 16,086 votes while Tareen could get only 2,963 votes. The JUI-F candidate had the support of all political parties which are part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement alliance.
The Awami National Party (ANP) withdrew its candidate Syed Abdul Bari in favour of the JUI-F candidate. BAP candidate Tareen had the support of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, JUI-N and some other parties.
Over half a dozen other candidates were also contesting the by-election but showed no significant performance. The seat had fallen vacant on the death of former governor and MPA Syed Fazal Agha last year due to coronavirus. Agha had been elected on the JUI-F ticket in 2018 general elections.
The polling, which began at 8am and ended at 5pm, continued without any interval and remained largely peaceful. A clash took place between the supporters of both parties outside the polling station in which three people were injured.
