PMLN candidate wins by-polls in Sheikhupura

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) candidate Rana Tahir Iqbal won the by-elections with a big margin in PP-139 Sheikhupura-IV constituency on Thursday. As per the form 47, he got 44,535 votes whereas the PTI-backed independent candidate Ijaz Hussain Bhatti got 20,093 votes.

Rana Tahir is the son-in-law of PMLN stalwart Rana Tanveer Hussain and this was his first election on a Punjab Assembly seat.

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan candidate Allama Farooqul Hasan got 7,196 votes and independent candidate and former MPA Mian Abdul Rauf got 6,695 votes.

During the voting in the constituency, there were many incidents of clashes and violence between the PTI and PMLN voters and supporters at different polling stations. The polling process had to be stopped for 10 to 15 minutes at several polling stations. In the by-election, district returning officer’s (DRO) duty was performed by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Imran Marth, and Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Usman Jalis was the returning officer.

Total number of votes in PP-139 was 193,285, while the turnout remained at 41.4 per cent. Some 124 polling stations were set up for the by-election. Out of 105,421 male voters, 50,201 exercised their right to vote. Similarly, out of the total 87,864 female voters, 29,818 women exercised their right to vote.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz and other party leaders congratulated Rana Tahir on his victory. PM Shehbaz Sharif said the clear lead of PMLN candidate in PP-139 showed people’s trust in the party’s policies. He said people of the area made their decision due to decrease in inflation rate from 38pc to 4.9pc, ease in the life of common man and improvement in the country’s economic indicators.

The PM said the PP-139 constituency residents made their decision in favour of development and prosperity instead of chaos. He said the PP-139 by-election results showed people had rejected the narrative of protest and sit-ins. He said the government was working day and night to implement the promises he had made to the people during his election campaign. He said positive results of public service initiatives had started to emerge.

The PM said the Sheikhupura victory was achieved due to leadership qualities of Nawaz Sharif and hard work of party workers. He said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also busy in serving the people day and night and working for development of the province.