PAT hammered in maiden poll run as Independent candidate wins PP-48 by-elections

DARYA KHAN: Pakistan Awami Tehreek�s (PAT) maiden run in polls fell flat after it was hammered in PP-48 Bhakkar by-elections on Saturday.

Punjab assembly seat PP-48 had fallen vacant after PML-N�s Najeebullah Khan Niazi passed away earlier. Niazi was also a cousin of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan.

On Saturday, the PML-N backed independent candidate Inamullah Khan Niazi won by-elections after securing 47,593 votes.

Niazi, who is Najeebullah�s elder brother, only narrowly secured victory. Independent candidate Ahmed Nawaz Nawani lost with 47,013 votes.

However, PAT�s first foray in to electoral politics was far less spectacular. The party�s candidate, Nazar Abbas, was bottom with just 13,582 votes. The defeat is particularly heavy for PAT whose chief Dr Tahirul Qadri had spearheaded Abbas� election campaign in the constituency.

Pakistan Peoples Party had boycotted elections in the constituency.

By-polls: Inamullah Niazi wins PP-48 Bhakkar seat

BHAKKAR: Independent candidate Inamullah Khan Niazi has won PP-48 Bhakkar seat, according to unofficial results of all 144 poling stations.

Niazi has secured 47,593 votes while Ahmed Nawaz Noorani, who is also contesting the by-polls as an independent candidate remained on second place by getting 47,013 votes.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) candidate Nazar Abbas Kahawar has only secured 13,582 ballots.

The PP-48 seat fell vacant due to the sudden death of Najibullah, who was elected as independent candidate in general elections 2013.



According to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the constituency has a total of 153,098 registered voters. Of them 86,529 are males and 66,569 are females.

Polling begins in PP-48 Bhakkar

As many as 153098 registered voters will go for polls in PP-48 Bhakkar-II to elect their representative on Saturday.

According to Election Commission of Pakistan, out of total voters there are 86529 male and 66569 female voters for whom total 144 polling stations have been set up with 23 polling stations for male and 17 for female. As many as 104 combine polling stations have also been set up.

Furthermore, in all 355 polling booths will be set up 153 polling.

The Commission has also revealed that seven candidates will be in the run including majority of independent candidates and two candidates from political parties.

These candidates include Ahmed Nawaz Khan, Inamullah Khan Niazi, Muhammad Arshad Awan, Muhammad Arshad Faqeer, Malik Muhammad Naeem Tariq, Alhaj Shehzad Sharif Chaudhry from Pakistan Falah Party, and Malik Nazar Abbas Kahawar from Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

The by-election is being held against a seat fallen vacant after death of Najeebullah Khan MPA.