PML-N wins Chakwal by-polls with thumping majority

CHAKWAL: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Haider Sultan won the by-election in PP-20 Chakwal-I with a thumping majority, according to a Geo News report.

He bagged 75,655 votes, unofficial and unconfirmed results from all the polling stations suggested late Tuesday night. Sultan was followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominee Tariq Afzal, who secured 45,702 votes.

It is interesting to note that the PML-N candidate has polled 13,577 more votes than the 2013 general elections. Then the PML-N candidate Chaudhry Liaquat Ali Khan had secured 62,088 votes.

The Punjab Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) MPA Liaquat Ali Khan. The process of voting started at 8am and continued until 5pm on Tuesday. The by-election was seen as a test for the ruling party as the constituency has long been a PML-N stronghold, while it was also expected to serve as a curtain-raiser for the general elections later this year. In her response over the PML-N's victory, Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, said, "The one favoured by the Almighty and the people cannot be eliminated by anyone.

"The court of the people once again announced its verdict as to who qualifies and who does not! All the conspirators together could not face the PML-N," she said in a series of tweets, after announcement of unofficial and unconfirmed results from all the polling stations in PP-20 Chakwal-1.

"The will of the people is like a stream of running water, it carves its own way, cutting through any obstacle that comes in its way!" she said further. This was Sultan's first attempt at a provincial assembly seat, however, his family has held the PP-20 seat since 1985, losing it only once in the 2002 elections.

The constituency has a total of 279,530 registered voters, for whom 227 polling stations were set up. Speaking to the media earlier, DPO Haroon Joya said that over 1,200 police personnel were deployed for security duty, with officials of Rangers on standby. He added that 51 polling stations were declared sensitive. Rangers and police have been deployed at the polling stations to ensure security.