PML-N tightens grip with twin by-election wins

Summary

• The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has retained both Gujranwala’s NA-77 National Assembly seat and Sahiwal’s PP-203 Punjab Assembly constituency in Sunday’s by-elections, according to unofficial results.
• In NA-77, Rashid Basheer Virk secured 43,365 votes, while Pakistan Markazi Muslim League candidate Muhammad Ibrahim finished second with 30,218 votes.
• Independent candidate Rai Murtaza Iqbal, backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), initially won the seat in 2024 with 55,874 votes, defeating Asad Hanif Jutt, who secured 35,163 votes.

AI Generated Summary

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has retained both Gujranwala’s NA-77 National Assembly seat and Sahiwal’s PP-203 Punjab Assembly constituency in Sunday’s by-elections, according to unofficial results.

PML-N candidates Rashid Basheer Virk and Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt emerged victorious in their respective constituencies, defeating their closest rivals by significant margins.

In NA-77, Rashid Basheer Virk secured 43,365 votes, while Pakistan Markazi Muslim League candidate Muhammad Ibrahim finished second with 30,218 votes. Virk was contesting the seat previously held by his father, Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk, who died on September 11. He had represented the constituency as an MNA five times.

In PP-203, Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt won with 42,114 votes. His rival, Muhammad Awais Mahmood of Tehreek-i-Ehsas Pakistan, received 24,512 votes.

The by-elections were held to fill vacancies created by the deaths of the two PML-N lawmakers. Polling started at 8am and continued until 5pm. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) described the process as largely peaceful and uninterrupted.

However, voter participation remained low in both constituencies. NA-77 recorded a turnout of 15.7 per cent, while PP-203 registered 27.6 per cent, according to provisional results.