PML-N wins Haripur by-poll with huge margin

HARIPUR: Babar Nawaz Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) bagged 82,725 votes while Dr Raja Amir Zaman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secured 56,829 votes in the by-election for the National Assembly (NA) constituency NA-19 on Sunday as unofficial results became available from 303 polling stations out of the total 513.
The results of the remaining polling stations are still awaited. It is for the first time that Babar Nawaz, son of late provincial minister Akhtar Nawaz Khan, contested for the NA. Raja Amir Zaman, on the other hand, has contested for the seat a number of times against Omar Ayub Khan, the grandson of late President Ayub Khan.
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, biometric system was used on an experimental basis at 30 polling stations during the by-election for NA-19. The polling concluded peacefully as extraordinary security arrangements were made in the district.
Around 18,000 security personnel including army troops, Frontier Constabulary and police performed duty to maintain order. The voting started at 8am and continued uninterrupted at the 513 polling stations till 5pm under the supervision of the relevant presiding officers.
However, according to the voters, the polling staff at a few polling stations turned up late due to incomplete arrangements and this caused some delay in starting the polling. The voters turnout remained low at most of the polling stations but in some areas it was recorded well beyond 40 percent.
There were nine candidates in the run, including Raja Amir Zaman of the PTI, Babar Nawaz Khan of the PML-N and Haji Tahir Qureshi of the PPP. The remaining six candidates were independent. Among them was the JUI-F’s Pir Alamzeb Shah who didn’t contest on his party ticket.
The total registered voters in Haripur are 577,480 and there is only one NAseat in the district.