PTI, PML-N wins most seats in Pakistan by-polls

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) managed to win most of the seats in the by-polls held for 11 National and 24 provincial assembly seats, the media reported on Monday.

Most of the seats where the by-polls were held had been vacated by those elected on more than one seat in the July 25 general elections, including Prime Minister Imran Khan who won in all the five National Assembly (NA) constituencies he had contested, reports Dawn news.

According to unofficial and unverified results of over 90 per cent polling stations, the PTI despite being at the top of the victory table faced a setback by losing two of the four National Assembly seats vacated by Khan to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the PML-N.

Besides, the PTI was also losing its Punjab Assembly seat from Jhelum that had been vacated by Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry till filing of this report.

The results show both the PTI and the PML-N got four seats each out of 11 NA seats.

In the by-poll to the 24 provincial assembly seats (11 in Punjab, nine in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two each in Sindh and Balochistan), the PTI was leading in nine constituencies (four in Punjab and five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) while the PML-N was ahead in six constituencies (five in Punjab and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).

The PTI believes that the main reason for its failure to achieve a clear majority in the by-elections was the absence of the senior party leaders, including Khan, from the campaign.

Overall polling remained peaceful with only a few incidents of scuffle and brawls being reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, said Dawn news.

This was the first time overseas Pakistanis participated in by-polls.

Out of 7,364 registered overseas Pakistanis votes, 6,233 polled their votes through i-voting.

The Election Commission of Pakistan is yet to officially declare the results of Sunday's polls.

--IANS

ksk