Kh Asif remains winner after recounting in NA-73

SIALKOT: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif remained victorious in the electoral battle against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar in NA-73 Sialkot after recount.

Usman Dar who lost the election to the former foreign minister approached the Returning Officer (RO) seeking a recount of votes. The RO, however, turned down his request for recounting the complete votes cast in the constituency and allowed a recount of only 7,300 rejected votes and 174 postal ballots of 15 polling stations. Despite recounting Usman Dar rejected the fresh result and demanded recounting of the complete votes cast in the constituency.

After the recount Khawaja Asif remained winner with an increase of 45 votes cast in his favour while the PTI candidate’s votes increased by 132 slightly changing a margin of over 1400.

The PML-N candidate secured 1,17,002 votes while the PTI candidate could bag 1,15,596 losing the seat by a margin of mere 1406 votes as against the initial vote difference of 1493.