PML-N tightens grip with twin by-election wins

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has retained both Gujranwala’s NA-77 National Assembly seat and Sahiwal’s PP-203 Punjab Assembly constituency in Sunday’s by-elections, according to unofficial results.

PML-N candidates Rashid Basheer Virk and Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt emerged victorious in their respective constituencies, defeating their closest rivals by significant margins.

In NA-77, Rashid Basheer Virk secured 43,365 votes, while Pakistan Markazi Muslim League candidate Muhammad Ibrahim finished second with 30,218 votes. Virk was contesting the seat previously held by his father, Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk, who died on September 11. He had represented the constituency as an MNA five times.

In PP-203, Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt won with 42,114 votes. His rival, Muhammad Awais Mahmood of Tehreek-i-Ehsas Pakistan, received 24,512 votes.

The by-elections were held to fill vacancies created by the deaths of the two PML-N lawmakers. Polling started at 8am and continued until 5pm. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) described the process as largely peaceful and uninterrupted.

However, voter participation remained low in both constituencies. NA-77 recorded a turnout of 15.7 per cent, while PP-203 registered 27.6 per cent, according to provisional results.

Following the conclusion of polling, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz celebrated her party’s performance in a series of posts on X. She described the victories as a public rejection of what she called the politics of hatred, revenge and conspiracy.

Maryam said the results demonstrated that performance and public service had greater political value than confrontation. She also criticised political opponents for refusing to acknowledge the changing political landscape.

The by-elections also witnessed allegations of violations of the electoral code of conduct. The ECP issued notices to several PML-N lawmakers and public representatives over their alleged visits to polling stations during voting.

Punjab MPA Qudsia Batool, MNA Saira Afzal Tarar and Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Culture Shazia Rizwan were among those served notices in NA-77. Similar notices were issued to PML-N MNA Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar and MPA Hina Arshad Warraich.

The officials were directed to explain their positions before the relevant election authorities.

In PP-203, PML-N MPAs Malik Qasim Nadeem and Motiya Begum also received notices for allegedly visiting polling stations. The ECP maintained that campaigning and canvassing were prohibited within 400 metres of polling stations on election day.

Separately, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari alleged that supporters of PMML candidate Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar had been caught stamping ballot papers in the presence of election staff. The provincial election commissioner directed the relevant returning officer to investigate the complaint and submit a report.

The ECP had also taken notice of Information Minister Attaullah Tarar’s alleged participation in the NA-77 election campaign. According to the commission, Tarar travelled to the constituency by helicopter and addressed a campaign gathering in support of Rashid Basheer Virk.

Public office holders are barred from participating in election campaigns under the ECP’s code of conduct. Tarar, Virk, Batool and others have been summoned for a hearing on November 12. The commission has also sought reports from the relevant election officials and warned that the NA-77 result could be withheld pending a final decision.

Background of PP-203 by-election

The PP-203 constituency had previously witnessed multiple electoral developments since the 2024 general elections.

Independent candidate Rai Murtaza Iqbal, backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), initially won the seat in 2024 with 55,874 votes, defeating Asad Hanif Jutt, who secured 35,163 votes.

However, Iqbal and four other PTI-backed lawmakers were subsequently disqualified and denotified by the ECP following their conviction by an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad on July 31.

Jutt later won the by-election held in November 2025, securing 46,820 votes against independent candidate Falik Sher, who received 10,975 votes. His death from cardiac arrest on September 17 led to Sunday’s fresh contest.

For the latest polling exercise, the authorities established 185 polling stations and deployed around 1,370 polling personnel, including 574 women and 796 men. District Police Officer Usman Tipu said 1,100 police personnel had been assigned security duties to maintain order during the voting process.