PML-N’s Arbab Waseem wins PK-8 by-poll

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Arbab Waseem on Thursday won the by-poll on PK-8 after a stunning contest with Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate Malik Tehmash and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) candidates.

In the first count PPP’s Malik Tehmash emerged victorious but later in the second count PML-N candidate appeared successful. The by-election on the seat, which fell vacant after the death of Pakistan Muslim League-N MPA Arbab Akbar Hayat Khan, was held amid tight security.

According to the unofficial results PML-N’s Arbab Waseem bagged 11,789 while Malik Tehmash of PPP bagged 10,789 ballots. Asif Iqbal Daudzai, a former minister and JUI-F nominee got 9,012 votes to stand third in the run.  The joint candidate of three-party ruling alliance in the province – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamaat-e-Islami and Qaumi Watan Party - Shehzad Khan lagged far behind in the run and he could secure only 7,807 ballots.

A total of 15 nominees were there in the run. The polling began at 8:00am and concluded at 6:00pm without any break. Strict security measures had been taken to ensure peace during the polling. Some 5,400 policemen along with army men had been deployed in and outside of the polling stations.

Though, 40 polling stations had been declared extremely sensitive and 47 sensitive in the constituency, no major incident of violence was reported during the polling process.

Women at Khazana Bala Polling Station were given some extra time for polling after the complaints that polling there had not started on time owing to conventional reason of their reluctance to take part in the process.

Some PPP and other parties’ female lawmakers who were present on the occasion condemned the delay in the commencement of women polling at the said polling station and they demanded extra time to the women voters there.  Much enthusiasm was witnessed at polling stations. Voters of all age, men and women and youngsters, fully participated in the process.