PTI loses Peshawar seat to ANP, leading race in Karachi

One national, two provincial assemblies seats in Karachi, Peshawar were up for grabs

PESHAWAR/ KARACHI: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has lost the PK-71 seat to Awami National Party (ANP) in Peshawar, but its candidates are leading the race in Karachi's NA-247 and PS-111 constituencies in the second round of by-elections.

ANP’s Salahuddin won the by-election, securing 11,257 votes with his rival candidate from PTI, Zulfiqar Khan managing to bag 9,854 votes. Independent candidate Dildar Khan came third with 5,409 votes, according to unofficial results.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

Meanwhile, Shehzad Qureshi of PTI is leading in the PS-111 by-election against Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Jahanzeb Mughal and Fayaz Pirzada of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Qureshi secured 11,244 votes whereas PPP’s Pirzada got 5,367. MQM’s Mughal came third with 2,146 votes.

The ruling party is also leading in the NA-247 constituency, where its candidate Aftab Hussain Siddiqui has bagged 31,992 votes while MQM’s Sadiq Iftikhar is trailing behind with 13,703 and PPP’s Qaiser Khan Nizamani with 12,982 votes.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced by-elections on the Peshawar seat after The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Shah Farman assumed charge as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor while NA-247 (Karachi South II) seat was vacated after Dr Arif Alvi took oath as head of state.

When Imran Ismail took oath as Sindh governor, he had to give up his provincial assembly seat – PS-111 (Karachi South V). 





PK-71 (Peshawar VI)

A total of five candidates were contesting for the slot, however a close contest is expected between Awami National Party’s (ANP) Salahuddin Mohmand and PTI’s Zulfiqar Ali – the brother of Shah Farman.

The ANP candidate was being supported by an alliance of different political parties, including Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), PPP and Mutahhida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

A total of 86 polling stations have been established across the constituency, where 133,451 voters - 79,836 men and 53,615 women – will cast their votes.

Polling begins in Bannu. PHOTO: EXPRESS

PHOTO: EXPRESS



NA-247 (Karachi South II)

Around 546,451 voters were expected to cast votes at 240 polling stations in the NA-247 (Karachi South-II) constituency.

The PTI nominated billionaire businessman and real estate developer Aftab Hussain Siddiqui, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) fielded showbiz celebrity Qaiser Nizamani.



Others in the fray included Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Sadiq Iftikhar, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek’s Ali Nawab and Pak Sarzameen Party’s (PSP) Arshad Vohra.

President Arif Alvi and Governor Sindh Imran Ismail polled their votes at respective polling stations.

PS-111 (Karachi South V)

A total of 178,965 people - 94, 719 men and 84,246 women - were expected to cast their votes at 80 polling stations set up across the provincial constituency.

The candidates included PTI’s Karachi Division Information Secretary Shahzad Qureshi, PPP’s Fayaz Pirdaza, MQM-P’s Dr Jahanzeb Mughal and rights activist Jibran Nasir, who contested independently.