PTI retains NA seat in Rajanpur by-elections

RAJANPUR: The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday retained its National Assembly seat, NA-193 Rajanpur, in the by-polls held on Sunday, according to unofficial and unconfirmed results.

As per the preliminary results from all the 237 polling stations, PTI’s candidate Mohsin Leghari received 90,392 votes and emerged victorious. His close contender, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Ammar Leghari secured 55,218 votes and stood runner-up. The seat fell vacant after the death of Sardar Mohammad Jaffar Khan Leghari, who was elected as an MNA on a PTI ticket.

Earlier in the day, polling began at 8am and continued without a break till 5pm. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) allowed the voters present inside the polling stations to cast their votes beyond the 5pm deadline.

The Punjab Home Department had requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to defer the by-polls due to security concerns, however, the electoral body turned down the plea. The ECP said in a statement released Sunday morning that a control room had been established at its secretariat to monitor the election and address the complaints regarding the polling.

As per the electoral body, 11 candidates were contesting the by-polls, while there were 379,204 registered voters in the constituency, of which 206,497 were male and 172,709 were female voters.

The ECP said that 237 polling stations had been established in the constituency, where police personnel had been deputed for security. Meanwhile, 200 Punjab Rangers personnel are also fulfilling duties as quick response force, the electoral body said, adding that strict action would be taken against those who violated the election code of conduct or disrupted the polling process.

The Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) had nominated Mohsin Leghari for contesting the by-polls on Rajanpur’s NA-193 after PTI chief Imran Khan withdrew his nomination papers on account of fears of disqualification in the Tyrian White case.

Meanwhile, Ammar Awais Leghari was contesting on a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ticket and Akhtar Hassan Gorchani for Pakistan Peoples Party among eight others.

The seat had fallen vacant after the death of PTI lawmaker Jaffar Khan Leghari. He died on December 31, 2022 in Lahore after a prolonged illness.