Hina Arshad Warraich of PML-N wins the elections by

The candidate for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Hina Arshad Warraich, won a decisive victory in the by-election of Sialkot PP-52, winning 78,419 votes, Radio Pakistan reported.

His nearest rival, Fakhir Nishat Ghumman, was significantly late with 40,037 votes, according to the unofficial results of the 185 polling stations. PTI has criticized an alleged rigging.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif congratulated Warraich for his success, describing victory as a clear reflection of public confidence in government policies.

The two leaders expressed their gratitude to the electorate for showing overwhelming support for the ruling party.

The by-election, which was closely monitored, further strengthens PML-N’s position in the Punjab assembly, analysts stressing the extent of Warraich’s victory as an important political victory for the party.

Earlier, she led with 78,702 votes in Sialkot PP-52 by elections, according to unofficial and incomplete results from 165 from the 185 polling stations received in the last hours of Sunday.

Hina was presented as the candidate of the party in power in the by-elections announced after the death of the MPA Chaudhry Arshad Warraich, who won the headquarters in the general elections of February 8 on the PML-N ticket.

Hina has held a clear advance on candidates from other parties, including the independent candidate supported by Pti Fakhir Nishat Ghumman, who obtained 39,018 votes, according to the unofficial tally.

Addressing a private television channel, Hina said that people had not elected her for politics but for service. “I stand here today because of the chief minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz,” she said.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who also belongs to Sialkot, visited the Hina Warraich residence.

Addressing party workers, he thanked those who participated in the Punjab electoral campaign, adding that on the basis of the results of 165 polling stations, Hina obtained a decisive victory. “SIALKOT was, is and will remain a bastion of the PML-N,” he said.

The central PTI information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, during a press conference in Islamabad, however, alleged that the partial election of PP-52 Sambrial witnessed “boost under the police patronage”.

“The rate of participation in our rally in Sambrial was unforgettable. People left early in the morning to protect the mandate, but the hands of the PML-N used violence,” he said.

He alleged that under the protection of the police, the PTI supporters had been forcibly withdrawn from the polling stations and subject to violence. “PML-N has started polling stations and expressed fake votes,” he said.

The president of the central PPP Punjab, Raja Perviz Ashraf, also accused the PML-N of resorting to the rigging during a press conference held in Sambrial.

“The Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP) must take note of the rigging during the partial election of the PP-52. Our survey and workers were attacked in Roliya, Beingo-Mitranwali and Babundoki Chamiyan.

“The local leadership of the PML-N should not have resorted to such actions, which undermines the credibility of the entire electoral process,” he added. The elections must be free and fair. Our employees were harassed and forced to leave the polling stations. “”

PPP Secretary General Syed Hassan Murtaza also said that the PML-N could not challenge the elections “without rallying to the referees”. The 2024 elections, he said, witnessed the worst rigging of history. “”

After the press conference, the ECP published a statement describing Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s rigging allegations in PP-52 SIALKOT as base. He advised PPP leaders to file an official complaint with solid evidence.

“The ECP will quickly address all complaints,” he said, adding that the reports concerning the administration closing various polling stations are completely false.