In the recent by-elections held across various constituencies in Pakistan, the political landscape witnessed significant developments, with the Muslim League (N) emerging as the dominant force by securing 11 seats, including those left vacant by prominent leaders Shahbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Additionally, the Sunni Ittehad Council clinched two seats, while the People’s Party and Q-League secured two and one seat(s) respectively.
Despite the overall success of the Muslim League (N), the Tehreek-e-Insaf faced an upset defeat in Bajaur, where independent candidate Mubarak Zeib emerged victorious in both the National and Provincial Assembly seats.
Notably, in Gujarat, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi suffered defeat at the hands of his nephew Musa Elahi, while Monis Elahi also faced a setback. However, Ahsan Iqbal’s son Ahmed Iqbal secured victory in Narowal.
Similarly, in Dera Ismail Khan, the seat vacated by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur was won by his brother Faisal Amin, while the People’s Party retained the seat vacated by Bilawal Bhutto in Qamber Shahdad Kot.
The by-elections also witnessed a significant political shift in Wazirabad, where the PML-N wrested the seat from PTI. Additionally, in Lahore, PML-N and its allies made a clean sweep, consolidating their stronghold in the region.
While the polling was relatively peaceful overall, there were reports of violent incidents and clashes between workers of political parties in various cities. Several individuals were injured, and arrests were made in connection with the disturbances. In some areas, polling had to be halted temporarily due to firing incidents.
Moreover, mobile phone and internet services were temporarily suspended in different areas of Lahore as a precautionary measure during the polling process.
Despite these challenges, polling for the 5 seats of the National Assembly and 16 seats of the Provincial Assembly proceeded smoothly from 8 am to 5 pm without any interruptions.
In terms of results, Ali Pervaiz Malik of the Muslim League (N) emerged victorious from NA-119 Lahore, securing 60,918 votes. Maryam Nawaz had previously won this constituency on February 8. In NA-196 Qamber Shahdad Kot, Malik Rashid secured victory with 146,849 votes, while Faisal Amin Gandapur of the Sunni Unity Council emerged victorious in NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan.
In the Provincial Assembly seats, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s nephew Musa Elahi defeated Parvez Elahi in PP-32 by a significant margin. Adnan Afzal of the Muslim League (N) secured victory in PP-36, while Ahmad Iqbal Chaudhry emerged victorious in PP-54 Narowal One.
The by-elections showcased a dynamic political landscape, with significant victories and shifts in power dynamics across various constituencies in Pakistan. As the dust settles, political parties will analyze the results and strategize for future elections, while the newly elected representatives will prepare to serve their constituents diligently.
