NA-249 by-poll results: Election stolen from PML-N, says Maryam Nawaz

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 05 Jan 2023

• Maryam Nawaz asks ECP to withhold NA-249 results.
• Says this victory [of PPP] will be temporary and will Insha’Allah come back to PML-N soon.
• Mohammad Zubair says results of 80 polling stations were changed.

LAHORE: PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz on Friday claimed that the NA-249 by-election was stolen from them after final results showed PPP's Qadir Khan Mandokhail winning the election by a margin of just 683 votes.

The election results were announced after 11 hours while the voter turn out was just 21.64%.

In a statement on Twitter, Maryam Nawaz said that the election stolen from PML-N by only a few hundred votes.

"ECP must withhold the results of one of the most disputed & controversial elections. Even if it doesn’t, this victory will be temporary and will Insha’Allah come back to PMLN soon."

She added that the vote is getting respect and it will get it Inshallah.

Later, PML-N leader and former PM Nawaz Sharif's spokesperson said the party would challenge the election results and added that the results of 80 polling stations were changed.

"We have requested the Election Commission of Pakistan in this regard."

PPP wins NA-249 by-poll

PPP's Abdul Qadir Mandokhel bagged 16,156 votes to win the seat, followed by PML-N's Miftah Ismail who secured 15,473, unofficial results from polling stations showed. While Nazir Ahmed of outlawed TLP trailed on the third position by receiving 11,125 votes.

PSP's Mustafa Kamal could acquire only 9,227 votes, followed by PTI's Amjad Afridi with 8,922 votes and MQM-P's Muhammed Mursaleen with 7,511 votes.

Both parties had claimed victory for their candidates mid-way into counting, capturing the attention of audiences awaiting results.