PML-N wins by-poll after close contest

LAHORE: A close contest was witnessed between the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf in PP-160 with the candidate of the former winning, according to unofficial results, amid ‘rigging’ allegations.

As per unofficial results, PML-N’s Saiful Malook Khokhar got around 27,000 votes, PTI’s Zaheer Abbas Khokhar about 19,000 and JI’s Jehangir Bara could bag 7,500 or so votes. The results from some 10 polling stations were to be declared till our going to the press.

Though the polling went smooth at most of places, voting was stopped for sometime at a polling station in Shadiwal following a clash between the workers of the PML-N and PTI. Police used batons to disperse charged activists of both parties. The incident kept many a voter away from the troubled polling station for a few hours.

There were reports of scuffles at some other polling stations too where the JI and PTI workers had objections to the voters’ lists.

At another polling station, the PTI workers nabbed two provincial government employees, claiming they were discharging ‘duties’ as polling agents. However, the police came to the rescue of these employees.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanullah said the government employees could become polling agents.

A private TV channel team alleged it was barred from covering the polling at the Judicial Colony.

“Police stopped us from entering the premises of the polling station,” a photographer said. A TV channel also aired a footage showing a policeman casting a vote.

Both PTI and JI candidates alleged the Punjab government used official machinery in favour of PML-N candidate.

Jahangir Bara alleged fake voters’ lists were prepared by government officials that helped the PML-N candidate win the election, while Zaheer Khokhar claimed he would present before media the details of ‘rigging’ by the PML-N candidate.

He said the Punjab government functionaries were present in the constituency to ensure the victory of Saiful Mulook.

“Despite rigging we have got a good number of votes indicating the future belongs to us,” the PTI candidate sounded optimistic.

As the unofficial results were pouring in, a large number of PNL-N workers started gathering at Afzal Khokhar’s residence while dancing to drumbeat to celebrate the victory of their party man.

The election was held under voters’ lists of 2008 with 187,300 registered voters (106,000 men and 81,300 women).

The seat had fallen vacant after the resignation of PML-N’s Rana Mubashar for having a ‘fake’ BA degree. Rangers were also deployed at a dozen or so ‘sensitive’ polling stations.