Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has achieved a landslide victory in the crucial by-polls of Punjab while establishing its right on the crown of the province.
The by-elections were held on Sunday in 14 districts of Punjab on 20 provincial assembly seats and PTI emerged victorious in a majority of both rural and urban constituencies.
Till the filing of this news, PTI had grabbed 15 out of 20 seats, while one its candidates was leading in a constituency of Rawalpindi. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) met a huge setback in its stronghold of Punjab as the party could win only three seats while one independent candidate won in a constituency.
The results of the by-polls have shaken the PML-N and its supremo Nawaz Sharif has called an emergency party meeting from London to devise a future strategy in the wake of the results. Similarly, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has also convened the core committee meeting of his party tomorrow to discuss the strategy keeping in view the results of the Punjab by-polls.
According to the unofficial results, PTI’s Malik Hassan Aslam got elected as MPA from PP-83 Khushab by grabbing 48,475 votes. Independent candidate Malik Asif Bha stood at number second by getting 41,752. PML-N’s Ameer Haider Sangha could get 34,463 votes.
In PP-90 Bhakkar, PTI’s Irfanullah Khan Niazi defeated PML-N’s Saeed Akbar Khan Nawani. PTI got 68,982 votes while PML-N could get 59,856. From PP-97 Faisalabad, PTI’s Ali Afzal Sahi got 66,672 votes and defeated PML-N’s Ajmal Cheema who could get 54,077 votes.
In PP-125 Jhang, PTI’s Azam Chela got 82,382 votes and defeated PML-N’s Faisal Hayat Jabboana who could get 52,178 votes. The second constituency of Jhang was also clinched by PTI. In PP-127 Jhang, PTI’s Nawaz Bharwana got 69,986 votes while defeating PML-N’s Mehar Aslam Bharwana who could get 46,825 votes.
PTI also clinched the seat of Sheikhupura. Khurram Virk of PTI became MPA from PP-140 Sheikhupura by getting 49,734 votes. His rival Mian Khalid Mehmood of PML-N could get 32,812 votes.
In Lahore, PTI won three out of four seats. In PP-158 Lahore, PTI’s Mian Akram Usman got 37,463 and became MPA. He defeated PML-N’s Rana Ahsan Sharafat who could get 31,906 votes. From PP-167 Lahore, Shabir Gujjar of PTI got 40,206 votes and defeated PML-N’s Nazir Chohan who could get 26,535 votes. In PP-168, Malik Asad Khokhar of PML-N got 25,685 votes and defeated PTI’s Nawaz Awan who could get 15,081 votes. From PP-170, PTI’s Zaheer Abbas Khokhar got 23,969 votes while defeating Amin Zulqarnain of PML-N who could get 14,916 votes.
In PP-202 Sahiwal, Major (retd) Ghulam Sarwar of PTI got 62,230 votes and defeated Malik Nauman Langrial of PML-N who could get 59,820 votes. PP-217 Multan went to PTI’s stalwart Shah Mehmood Qureshi. His son Zain Qureshi got 46,963 votes and defeated Salman Naeem of PML-N who could get 40,104 votes. In PP-224 Lodhran, Amir Iqbal Shah of PTI got 69,625 votes against Zawar Warraich of PML-N who could get 55,748 votes. From PP-228 Lodhran, independent candidate Pir Rafi ud Din Bukhari became MPA by getting 42,719 votes. PTI’s Capt retd Javed Khan got 34,635 votes while PML-N’s Nazir Ahmad Khan could get 30,841 votes.
In PP-237 Bahawalnagar, Fida Hussain Wattoo of PML-N got 61,248 votes and defeated PTI’s Aftab Raza who could get 25,227 votes. In PP-272 Muzaffargarh, Sardar Moazzam Khan Jatoi of PTI got 49,823 votes and defeated PML-N’s Zahra Basit Bukhari who could get 42,995 votes. In PP-273 Muzaffargarh, PML-N’s Sabtain Raza got 52,631 votes and defeated PTI’s Yasir Arfat Jatoi who could get 46,903 votes.
From PP-282 Layyah, Qaiser Magsi of PTI got 43,922 votes while defeating Tahir Randhawa of PML-N who could get 29,715 votes. From PP- 288 DG Khan, PTI’s Sardar Saif ud Din Khosa got 58,015 votes while defeating Abdul Qadir Khosa of PML-N who could get 32,487 votes. In PP-7 Rawalpindi, Lt Col retd Shabir Awan of PTI was leading against Raja Sagheer of PML-N.
The number game in Punjab Assembly is also changed after the results of by-polls as PTI has become the largest party in the house. The alliance of PTI and PML-Q is now standing at 189 seats while the number of 186 is required to form the government in Punjab.
The ruling alliance is now standing at 178 seats. PML-N has 163 seats, PPP 7, Rah-e-Haq Party one, while five independent MPAs are members of the Punjab Assembly. The re-election for CM Punjab is already scheduled on 22nd July and it is likely that PTI will comfortably form its government in Punjab again.
