MUZAFFARGARH: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has secured three out of the total six national assembly seats of Muzaffargarh, a city in the southwestern Punjab province, according to unofficial results. For NA-182, NA-183 and NA-184, PPP candidates Mehar Irshad Ahmed, Raza Rabbani Khar and Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan have secured victorious positions, respectively. However, for NA-181 and NA-185, independent candidates Muhammad Shabir Qureshi and Syed Basit Ahmed Sultan have secured winning positions. Moreover, PTI candidate for NA-189, Dera Ghazi Khan-I, Khawja Sheraz Mehmood has won by securing 78,596 votes. From the total 12 provincial assembly seats of Muzaffargarh, two have been won by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), four by independent candidates, two by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), whereas results of other constituencies has not been declared yet. For PP-268, an independent candidate Rana Aurang Zaib has secured a winning position while PML-N candidate has secured second place. For PP-269, PML-N candidate Azhar Abbas has been leading other candidates. For PP-270, PML-N candidate Hammad Nawaz Khan secured a leading position while an independent candidate Abdul Hayi Dasti stood runner-up. For PP-272, an independent candidate Syed Basit Ahmed Sultan secured a winning position while PTI candidate Muhammad Zia Ullah Khan stood runner-up. For PP-273, PTI candidate Muhammad Sabtain Raza secured a leading position whereas an independent candidate Rasool Bakhsh grabbed second place. For PP-274, PTI candidate Syed Raza Hussain Bukhari gained 27,597 votes to secure the constituency, whereas an independent candidate Muhammad Nawab Khan Gopang bagged only 26,035 votes. For PP-275, an independent candidate Khurram Sohail Laghari secured first place, whereas PTI candidate Muhammad Aun Hameed won for PP-276 by gaining 36,848 votes. For PP-277, an independent candidate Muhammad Iqbal Khan secured first place. Meanwhile, 15-year political struggle of Jamshed Ahmad Khan Dasti, the chairman of Awami Raaj Party (ARP), has ended as he failed to secure even one seat in Southern region of Punjab. He was contesting for four national and one provincial assembly seat. ARP fielded 30 provincial assembly candidates in total, but could secure only PP-270, where Ajmal Chandio has won. Several political analysts termed his defeat as ‘a lack of political support to his party by influential businessmen and traders in the region’. Published in Daily Times, July 27th 2018.