Chakwal by-poll result shows PML-N’s firm grip in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Just two days before the Supreme Court judgment in the Panama case, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) scored a convincing victory in the by-election to the Punjab Assembly seat, PP-23 Chakwal, routing an informal multiparty alliance.

Although the PML-N has been under tremendous pressure because of the Panama case, the latest electoral result demonstrated once again its firm grip in Punjab. It also reflected that this scandal had no effect on the voters against the PML-N or in favour of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The outcome matched the widespread public assessment that its rivals are in no position to outshine its popular support in the majority province. Regardless of the win or defeat of the PML-N in this constituency, this result was not going to create any difference on the overall numerical scenario in the provincial legislature. But on the political level, it has its own impact. However, its victory is part of its continuous wins in Punjab in almost all by-elections over the past four years.

The electoral fight became all the more important when all the political parties joined hands against the PML-N in PP-23, but were left far behind by the victor. They were led by the PTI, which had fielded Col (retd) Sultan Surkhro.

The PML-Q and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) actively campaigned for the PTI cardholder. Of the two, the PML-Q was too eager and ambitious to see the PML-N lose. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was also with the PTI but had to withdraw its support in the wake of Imran Khan’s attack on it a few days before the polling in an election rally in this constituency and subsequently elsewhere as well.

Had the PPP continued its backing, the PTI representative would certainly have gained a few thousand more votes but that would have been still short of producing victory for the PTI candidate.

PML-N’s Shehryar Awan, a nephew of Malik Salim Iqbal, advisor to the Punjab Chief Minister, clinched 72,071 votes as against 49,910 ballots of the loser.

In 2013, Shehryar Awan’s uncle Zahoor Anwar had won the seat, which fell vacant due to his death, necessitating the present by-election. At the time, Zahoor Anwar had bagged 54,949 votes compared to 23,578 ballots of Sultan Surkhro, who had stood third in the competition.

This time the votes of both the candidates in the one-to-one fight recorded a considerable increase. Previously, some other contestants had also secured a large number of votes. One Sardar Amjad Ilyas Kotehra had got 46,231 ballots and another Dr Hameedullah Malik had scored 4,445 votes.

As usual, PTI Chairman Imran Khan himself campaigned in the provincial constituency by holding a public meeting there. From the PML-N side, Hamza Shahbaz Sharif was engaged in somewhat low key electioneering in the area.

Former Chakwal Nazim Sardar Ghulam Abbas, who has a good say in his district, played an important role in Shehryar Awan’s triumph. He had joined the PML-N sometime back.