The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was leading in by-elections held on five National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly seats on Sunday, according to unofficial results.
Polling took place in 13 constituencies, including NA-18 Haripur, NA-96 Faisalabad-II, NA-104 Faisalabad-X, NA-143 Sahiwal-III, NA-185 D.G. Khan-II, NA-129 Lahore-XIII, PP-73 Sargodha-III, PP-98 Faisalabad-I, PP-115 Faisalabad-XVIII, PP-116 Faisalabad-XIX, PP-203 Sahiwal-VI, PP-269 Muzaffargarh-II, and PP-87 Mianwali-III.
According to unofficial and unconfirmed results, in NA-143 Sahiwal, PML-N’s Chaudhry Muhammad Tufail Jutt has won with 136,313 votes, based on results from all 442 polling stations. Independent candidate Zarar Akbar trailed with 13,120 votes.
In NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan, unofficial results from 108 polling stations placed PML-N’s Mehmood Qadir Leghari in the lead with 40,527 votes, followed by PPP candidate Sardar Dost Khosa, who secured 19,008 votes.
In NA-18 Haripur, unofficial results showed independent candidate Shehrnaz Omar Ayub secured 86,558 votes, while PML-N candidate Babar Nawaz stood second with 80,150 votes.
In NA-129 Lahore, PML-N’s Hafiz Nauman led with 38,252 votes, according to unofficial results from 142 polling stations. PTI-backed candidate Chaudhry Arslan secured 17,047 votes, placing him in second position.
In NA-96 Faisalabad-II, PML-N candidate Bilal Chaudhry led with 63,957 votes, based on unofficial results from 153 polling stations. Independent candidate Malik Nawab Sher Waseer followed with 21,067 votes.
In PP-269 Muzaffargarh, unofficial results from 63 polling stations showed PPP’s Mian Alamdar Qureshi leading with 23,227 votes, while independent candidate Iqbal Pitafi trailed with 13,444 votes.
In PP-87 Mianwali, unofficial results from 96 polling stations placed Ali Haider Noor Khan in the lead with 44,944 votes, followed by Nawabzada Ayaz Khan with 2,622 votes.
In PP-98 Faisalabad, PML-N candidate Azad Ali Tabassum led with 28,907 votes, according to unofficial counts from polling stations, while independent candidate Muhammad Ajmal Cheema came second with 20,401 votes. In PP-115 Faisalabad, unofficial results from 68 polling stations showed PML-N’s Muhammad Tahir Parvez ahead with 12,431 votes, with independent candidate Muhammad Asghar securing 2,012 votes.
In PP-203 Sahiwal, unofficial results from 178 polling stations showed PML-N’s Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif Jutt leading with 44,965 votes, while independent candidate Falak Sher Dogar trailed with 10,321 votes. In PP-73 Sargodha, unofficial results from 89 polling stations placed PML-N’s Sultan Ali Ranjha in the lead with 28,704 votes, ahead of independent candidate Haris Ranjha, who received 4,091 votes.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Tufail Jutt on his “resounding” victory in the NA-143 Chichawatni by-election.
In a statement, the Prime Minister attributed the win to the vision of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, his “exemplary leadership,” and the hard work of the party’s workers. “This victory in the by-election reflects the dedication of our team and the trust of the people,” he added.
He also praised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying the win demonstrates public confidence in her tireless efforts for the province’s development.
“Undoubtedly, the victory in NA-143 shows that the people trust PML-N’s commitment to public service,” the prime minister said, describing the election result as a reflection of satisfaction with government performance.
The prime minister further urged Tufail Jutt to work tirelessly for the constituency and serve the public, saying, “He will represent the aspirations of his constituency and dedicate himself to serving the people day and night.”
The Chairman of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Sikandar Sultan Raja, thanked provincial governments for implementing effective security measures during the by-elections, noting that no extraordinary complaints were received.
Speaking to media representatives at the ECP, Raja described the by-elections as “very peaceful” and expressed gratitude to the governments of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for their support.
He added that by-election turnout is typically low due to various reasons, and that in this particular vote, there was no change in the “numbers game,” which contributed to lower public interest.
“The Commission has taken impartial action against those violating the code of conduct. While District Returning Officers (DROs) submitted some reports, the commission also took suo motu notice of certain complaints. However, no extraordinary complaints were received during today’s by-elections,” he said.
Raja further stated that Talal Chaudhry has been summoned and his hearing will take place on Monday. He recalled that during the local government elections, one minister and one candidate were disqualified for code of conduct violations. Tight security arrangements were implemented for the elections in accordance with Election Commission directives, with additional personnel deployed at sensitive locations. Special provisions have been made for the convenience of voters, including the elderly and women.
Moreover, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader, Moin Riaz Qureshi, visited several polling stations in NA-129 during the by-election on Sunday.
“99 per cent of our camps have been dismantled, and our voters and supporters are sitting at polling stations on chairs they have brought from home.”
Qureshi alleged that workers had been detained and that “police high-handedness has reached its peak”. He added that party volunteers had set up makeshift camps using tables and chairs from their homes.
PTI’s Hammad Azhar accused the Punjab police of reportedly disrupting a PTI camp at Pak Angel School in UC-100, NA-129. He added that party workers have started efforts to restore the camp.
The interior ministry has approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces for security in all 13 national and provincial assembly constituencies, where by-elections are being held. A notification issued by the interior ministry said the approval followed requests from the ECP.