PML-N's Hina Arshad Warraich wins PP-52 Sialkot by-election
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hina Arshad Warraich has secured a decisive victory in the PP-52 Sialkot by-election, winning 78,419 votes, Radio Pakistan reported.
Her closest rival, Fakhir Nishat Ghumman, was significantly behind with 40,037 votes, according to unofficial results from all 185 polling stations. PTI has decried alleged rigging.
Congratulations to Hina Arshad Warraich. I hope she will carry the legacy of her father and that legacy is helping the people of the constituency.
Good luck 🍀 #PMLN pic.twitter.com/a2Ycn2OeFE — Sunny 🏆🇵🇸 (@Its_SuNnYzzZ_77) June 2, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif congratulated Warraich on her success, describing the victory as a clear reflection of public trust in the government's policies.
Both leaders expressed their gratitude towards the electorate for showing overwhelming support for the ruling party.
The by-election, which was closely watched, further strengthens PML-N's position in the Punjab Assembly, with analysts pointing out the magnitude of Warraich's victory as a significant political win for the party.
Earlier, she was leading with 78,702 votes in PP-52 Sialkot by-elections, according to unofficial and incomplete results from 165 out of 185 polling stations received in the late hours of Sunday.
Hina was fielded as the ruling party's candidate in the by-elections announced after the death of MPA Chaudhry Arshad Warraich, who had won the seat in the Feb 8 general elections on the PML-N's ticket.
Hina held a clear lead over candidates from other parties, including the PTI-backed independent candidate Fakhir Nishat Ghumman, who secured 39,018 votes, according to the unofficial tally.
Speaking to a private TV channel, Hina said the people did not elect her for politics but for service. "I stand here today because of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz," she stated.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who also belongs to Sialkot, visited the residence of Hina Warraich.
Addressing party workers, he thanked those who participated in the election campaign across Punjab, adding that based on results from 165 polling stations, Hina is securing a decisive victory. "Sialkot was, is, and will remain a stronghold of the PML-N," he said.
PTI's Central Secretary for Information, Sheikh Waqas Akram, during a press conference in Islamabad, however, alleged that the by-election in PP-52 Sambrial witnessed "thuggery under police patronage".
"The turnout at our rally in Sambrial was unforgettable. People came out early in the morning to protect the mandate, but the PML-N's goons resorted to violence," he claimed.
He alleged that under police protection, PTI supporters were forcibly removed from polling stations and subjected to violence. "PML-N forcibly entered polling stations and cast fake votes," he said.
PPP Central Punjab President Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also accused the PML-N of resorting to rigging in a press conference held in Sambrial.
"The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) must take notice of the rigging in the PP-52 by-election. Our polling agents and workers were attacked in Roliya, Begowal, Mitranwali, and Babundoki Chamiyan.
"Local PML-N leadership should not have resorted to such actions this undermines the credibility of the entire electoral process," he added. Elections should be free and fair. Our people were harassed and forced out of polling stations."
PPP General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza also claimed that the PML-N cannot contest elections "without siding with the umpires". The 2024 elections, he said, witnessed the worst rigging in history."
After the press conference, the ECP issued a statement describing Raja Pervaiz Ashraf's allegations of rigging in PP-52 Sialkot as baseless. It advised PPP leaders to file a formal complaint with solid evidence.
"The ECP will address all complaints promptly," it said, adding that the reports about the administration shutting down various polling stations are completely false.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PTI or its apology not discussed in Brussels, DG ISPR rebuts journalist's claim
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Thursday refuted a claim made by a senior journalist of having conversation with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir in Brussels earlier this month, wherein the army chief allegedly spoke up on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its apology. The military spokesperson altogether repudiated the journalist's claim of conducting the army chief's interview, saying the COAS has not given any interview to any journalist. Suhail Warraich, in his article, claimed that COAS Munir said 'political reconciliation is possible by sincerely asking for forgiveness', while not naming the political party in his article but the context is evident through the statement he wrote. The DG ISPR termed Warraich's action inappropriate and described it as an effort of self-promotion and personal gain. Talking to journalists, the ISPR director general said the article by Warraich, which is currently being discussed, pertains to an event in Brussels where hundreds of people took photographs. 'Neither PTI nor any apology came under discussion,' he said. He reiterated that the perpetrators and facilitators of the May 9 incidents must be brought to justice in accordance with the law. Expressing regret, he said that even a senior journalist had demonstrated such irresponsibility. Army chief dismisses rumours of leadership change in Pakistan Responding to a query about terrorism, the DG ISPR said that Pakistan is capable of changing the destiny of the entire region, which is why it continues to face repeated attacks. Terming the youth as a great asset of Pakistan, he urged them to understand the legacy and history of their ideological state and to recognise their strength. 'The day they realise their power, no extremist or proxy will be able to frighten them,' he added. He said India believed that by supporting its terrorist proxies and facilitators, it could discredit the Pakistan Army through an attack. However, everything unfolded contrary to India's nefarious designs, he observed. Pakistan and its armed forces gave a befitting response to India and its proxies, he asserted. He recounted how some believed that India, with its military machine worth billions of dollars, would easily defeat Pakistan. 'There were even suggestions that India and its proxies—including Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna Hindustan—should attack Pakistan simultaneously. However, the entire world witnessed how Pakistan faced the enemy on both fronts,' he said. The armed forces spokesperson said that the decision made by all political parties in 2014 to dismantle the 'illegal spectrum' to eliminate terrorism from Pakistan has not been fully implemented. 'When illegal Afghan residents involved in crimes are to be deported, certain political and criminal elements within our own country begin to create problems,' he said. He stressed the need to implement all 14 points of the National Action Plan in letter and spirit. Governance gaps, he said, are being filled daily by the sacrifices of military, police, and law enforcement personnel.
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Achakzai is Imran's new pick for NA opp leader
In a move that might have come as a rude shock to many PTI leaders, Imran Khan, the jailed founder of the embattled party, has nominated the maverick chief of PkMAP, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, for opposition leader in the National Assembly. Achakzai's nomination has provided grist to the rumour mill, churning out reports that Imran is increasingly unhappy with the PTI leaders over their failure to mount a formidable challenge against the coalition government which he accuses of stealing his party's mandate. The development comes days after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz earlier this month following their convictions in the May 9 cases. Both were formally de-notified as opposition leaders respectively in the National Assembly and the Senate on August 8, along with several other opposition members in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja told reporters outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday that Imran had also nominated Senator Azam Swati as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. He added that the PTI founder had sought five names from the party for nomination to the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. Raja further said that Imran had tasked the party's political committee with finalising its strategy for the upcoming by-elections on seats that fell vacant after the disqualification of lawmakers in the May 9 cases. The committee was scheduled to meet later in the day to make decisions, he added. He confirmed that Achakzai, who currently heads the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), would replace Omar Ayub in the National Assembly. In a separate address in Lahore, Raja urged political forces to unite against what he termed oppression and arbitrary arrests. "It does not matter where you come from or which party you belong to - if you have empathy, we are together," he said. "For the permanence of humanity and dignity, this struggle has to be fought." He warned that "anyone can be detained for any reason" under the prevailing circumstances, adding that "the only law in this country is fear." Raja assured party supporters that the PTI leadership would take their struggle to "every available forum." He said the wider movement was not just about the party's politics but about protecting fundamental rights. "What does the supremacy of law and the Constitution mean? It means having the right to protest under Article 17. Article 15 allows free movement. Article 19 gives us the right to raise and spread our voice together," he noted. He also spoke about the plight of farmers and the poor across the country, saying: "I listened to people in Sindh, it brought tears to my eyes. But this suffering is not limited to Sindh - it is everywhere." Calling for a united front, the PTI leader said, "We all have rights and we are all human. If we fail to act, those rights will erode further." Referring to the devastation caused by floods, Raja said they were not purely natural disasters but were aggravated by "human greed and mismanagement." "We need to eradicate this greed in the same way our forests are being cut down. If we do not stand up now, we may lose the ability to raise our voice altogether," he warned.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
PHC halts opposition leaders' appointment
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), seeking a reply over the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Senator Shibli Faraz, and their subsequent de-notification as Leaders of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Senate. A two-member bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad and Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel heard the petitions filed by the PTI leaders. During proceedings, the court extended the stay order restraining the appointment of new opposition leaders in both houses of Parliament until the next hearing. Barrister Gohar Khan, counsel for the petitioners, argued that Ayub and Faraz were duly elected Leaders of the Opposition in their respective houses but were de-notified after the ECP declared them disqualified on August 5. He noted that an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad had earlier sentenced them, along with other PTI members, to 10 years' imprisonment on July 31. The counsel contended that the office of the opposition leader is a constitutional position under Assembly Rule 39, and once elected as a member of Parliament, the ECP has no authority to disqualify a lawmaker. He added that the Supreme Court has previously ruled that the ECP cannot unilaterally disqualify members. "The ECP has acted beyond its constitutional mandate," Barrister Gohar told the bench. He argued that the Speaker National Assembly had not referred any reference against Omar Ayub, nor had the Senate Chairman done so in Shibli Faraz's case. "The commission initiated the action on its own, which is unconstitutional and unlawful," he added. Additional Attorney General Sanaullah, representing the government, submitted that currently there are no opposition leaders in either house, stressing that Parliament cannot function without them. He urged the court to lift the restraining order so that new opposition leaders could be appointed. In response, Barrister Gohar argued that the PTI still holds the largest number of opposition seats and that the position rightfully belongs to the party. "In autumn, not as many leaves fall as our members have been disqualified," he remarked, accusing the ECP of politically motivated action. The Special Secretary Law of the ECP informed the court that the commission's written reply has not yet been submitted and requested more time. The bench extended the stay order, barring the ECP from taking further action against the petitioners, and adjourned the hearing while seeking replies from both the ECP and the Attorney General in the next session.
