PTI's Dr Shehzad wins Senate seat

LAHORE: PTI candidate Dr Shehzad Waseem on Wednesday was elected as Senator in a by-poll held on a vacant seat of Punjab, as he defeated PML-N's Khawaja Ahmed Hassan with a margin of 12 votes. Dr Shehzad with the support of allies - including PML-Q, a party with 10 MPAs (9 cast votes and one remained absent), and Rah-e-Haq Party which has one seat in the Punjab Assembly - emerged victorious while bagging 181 votes. Ahmed Hassan bagged 169 votes, which included seven MPAs of PPP, as the PML-N candidate claimed getting three extra votes from its collective strength in the House. The seat was vacated by Chaudhry Sarwar who got elected in March this year but later took oath as Punjab governor. The polling process was presided over by Provincial Election Commissioner Zafar Iqbal.

Out of the current 353 members of the House, 351 MPAs cast their vote whereas one was rejected. Two MPAs, including Muneeb Sultan of PTI and Basma Chaudhry, remained absent.

The process continued smoothly from 9am to 4pm. However, the PML-N members at the last moments of the polling lodged protest when a ruling party MPA was allowed to cast vote after the time was finished. The results were announced one hour after the polling was finished.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar spent time in his chamber before and after casting the vote, during which he held meetings with the MPAs and issued instructions to the departments concerned over their complaints and requests.

Figure of 12 still relevant

It was the second by poll in the same year as it was PML-N's Dr Asad Ashraf who emerged victorious against PTI's Dr Zarqa Taimur in a one-sided contest seven months ago in the month of March. That seat fell vacant after the resignation of PPP's Dr Babar Awan who had joined PTI.

In that contest, Dr Asad won after bagging around 298 votes followed by 38 votes of Dr Zarqa Taimur. However, 12 votes, all of PML-N were declared rejected. Interestingly, the current difference of votes between PTI and PML-N candidate has also been of 12 votes which show that this figure still has great relevance and significance in the parliamentary politics, make or break situation in Punjab.

Now with the support of seven MPAs of PPP, the PML-N at least has attained a position where it could also cause an upset in Punjab, though the ruling party members think otherwise.

Journey from victory to defeat

It may be a twist of fate or a hard luck story that the PML-N, which was a powerful majority party in the House in March, within months lost its authority in Punjab, as the PTI emerged as the party with the largest number of seats in the House after July 25. In the by-poll held in March, it defeated PTI with a comprehensive margin whereas in another by-poll the same year, it has suffered a defeat in the hands of the same rival.

Nevertheless, for next three years till the 2021 Senate polls, the PML-N will still remain prominent as a party with largest number of seats in Senate.