LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Arbab Amir Ayub on Thursday emerged victorious in NA-4 by-poll, a seat which was left vacant after the death of PTI’s dissident leader Gulzar Khan.
According to the unofficial and inconclusive results, PTI’s Arbab Amir won the by-poll with 45,631 votes followed by Awami National Party (ANP) candidate Khushdil Khan who got 24,830 votes. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Nasir Khan Musazai managed to secure 24,490 votes.
Updates:
01:30: PTI leads with 45,631 plus votes, ANP candidate follows with 24,830 plus votes while PML-N candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 24,490 plus votes.
01:12: PTI leads with 44,799 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 24,493 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 24,108 plus votes.
00:58: PTI leads with 44,799 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 24,478 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 24,029 plus votes.
00:53: PTI leads with 44,690 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 24,415 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,912 plus votes.
00:30 PTI leads with 44,064 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 24,032 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,428 plus votes.
00:17 PTI leads with 44,064 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 24,032 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,428 plus votes.
23:53: PTI leads with 43,812 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 23,827 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,428 plus votes.
23:30: PTI leads with 43,592 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 23,603 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,361 plus votes.
23:15: PTI leads with 43,333 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 23,554 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,256 plus votes.
23:07: PTI leads with 42,963 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 23,412 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,169 plus votes.
22:56: PTI leads with 42,749 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 23,272 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 23,008 plus votes.
22:51: PTI leads with 42,511 plus votes, PML-N candidate follows with 23,169 plus votes while ANP candidate is trailing behind PML-N with 22,000 plus votes.
22:25: PTI leads with 42,047 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 22,487 plus votes.
22:19: PTI leads with 41,420 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 22,253 plus votes.
22:05: PTI leads with 40,505 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 21,878 plus votes.
21:57: PTI leads with 40,057 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 21,714 plus votes.
21:45: PTI leads with 39,571 plus votes while ANP candidate follows with 21,504 plus votes.
21:30: PTI leads with 39,196 plus votes while ANP candidate follows with 21,348 plus votes.
21:17: PTI leads with 38,481 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 20,972 plus votes.
20:24: PTI leads with 38,041 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 20,861 plus votes.
20:17: PTI leads with 37,406 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 20,145 plus votes.
20:07: PTI leads with 37,110 plus votes while PML-N candidate follows with 20,062 plus votes.
#PTI supporters out on the roads in NA-4 to support the party@PTIofficial pic.twitter.com/S2snPlUikh
— Daily Times (@dailytimespak) October 26, 2017
Polling commenced at the 269 polling stations for the crucial by-election for the city’s NA-4 constituency at 8am today; observers say that the by-poll will prove to be a litmus test for gauging the popularity of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) government in the Khyber Pakhtunwa province.
The seat had fallen vacant on August 28 after the death of dissident PTI MNA Gulzar Khan.
Voting turnout has appeared to be strong with people beginning to line up outside polling stations as early as 7:30 am. Polling continued till 5pm amid tight security.
Good turnout was witnessed at numerous polling stations for #NA4 by-elections
image credits: @JalalQazi pic.twitter.com/VXEOx4vfr5
— Daily Times (@dailytimespak) October 26, 2017
The elderly wait in line to #vote for their respective candidates in NA-4 by-election in #Peshawar#NA4 pic.twitter.com/HqCt5w0vr5
— Daily Times (@dailytimespak) October 26, 2017
A public day has been declared today in Peshawar.
As reported by the Election Commission of Pakistan, 14 candidates representing both major and minor political parties are in the running for the seat.
A hectic election campaign ended at midnight on Tuesday amidst desperate efforts from all parties to woo voters.
On Wednesday, political parties organized camps in the constituency to facilitate voters, while a large number of media times arrived at the city to cover the by-election of crucial importance.
Nasir Khan Musazai from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Asad Gulzar Khan from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Arbab Amir Ayub from Pakistan Tereek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Khushdil Khan are the names of candidates from major political parties.
In a statement issued by the ECP, 269 polling stations had been set up across the constituency for 397,952 voters – which includes 235,127 men and 162,825 women, declaring 182 polling stations the most sensitive and 82 sensitive in light of the security situation.
The ECP also added that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used in the Peshawar by-election at around 100 polling booths of around 35 polling stations
As many as 269 Presiding Officers, 837 Assistant Presiding Officers, and 837 Polling Officers have been appointed along with a results transmission system at each polling station.
With the deployment of 7,000 policemen and 1,700 army personnel performing their duty, strict security arrangements have been made in the constituency.
#Police arrest one person accused of ‘rigging’ in #NA-2 polls in #Peshawar#NA4 pic.twitter.com/hW3qmMkapt
— Daily Times (@dailytimespak) October 26, 2017
Also on Wednesday, the ECP director general administration and provincial election commissioner made an in-depth visit of polling stations in the area to check preparations for the by-election.