PTI’s Barrister Sultan wins Mirpur by-poll
Defeats PML-N candidate Sohaib Saeed with a narrow margin
Barrister Sultan defests PML-N candidate Sohaib Saeed with a narrow margin. PHOTO: FILE
MIRPUR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e –Insaf’s Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry bagged 17,673 votes in the by-election to win the Mirpur LA-III seat of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly defeating Chaudhry Sohaib Saeed of PML-N, who obtained 14,813 votes, here on Sunday.
Returning Officer Civil Judge Mian Naeem Ullah while announcing the unofficial result at a news conference in his office said that the PML-N candidate obtained 14,813 votes, while Tehreek-e-Labaik AJK’s Muhammad Shafique-ur-Rehman remained third by securing 1,393 votes.
A total of 14 candidates, mostly independents contested the by-election that was held in a free, fair and peaceful environment.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati congratulated the PTI candidate for winning the by-poll. In a statement, he said success of Barrister Sultan was an evidence of the fact that people trusted Prime Minister Imran Khan and the PTI.
He said people of Azad and Occupied Kashmir viewed with respect the efforts of the Prime Minister for the Kashmir issue.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Kashmir,” he said thanking people of Mirpur for voting for PTI and Barrister Sultan Mehmood
The seat had fallen vacant following the disqualification of the AJK’s incumbent ruling (PML - N) party’s MLA and Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed by the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir in a contempt of court case on September 25 this year.
Saeed had been elected as the AJK LA member in July 2016 elections to the State Legislative Assembly from the seat of PML-N.
Polling started at 8.00 in the morning and continued till 5.00 in the evening without any pause.
Independent observers termed the holding of this by-election in most peaceful, free, fair and transparent environment unprecedented in the electoral history of this Jaat-dominated constituency. Both of the close contestants including PTI’s Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry and PML N’s Sohaib Saeed Chaudhry belong to the same Jaat tribe.
The constituency contains a total of 59,494 registered voters including 32,490 male and 27,004 female voters. An attractive turn-out of voters was found exercising their right to elect their representative to the incumbent State Legislative Assembly for rest of its constitutional period ending in July 2021.
AJK Election Commission had made adequate arrangements establishing a total of 119 polling stations including 49 male, 47 female and 23 joint polling stations to facilitate the electorates to use their right of vote.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner / Senior Member of the Election Commission Judge (retd) Abdul Rasheed Sulehriya, District Returning Officer / District and Session Judge Mian Naeem Ullah, Commissioner Mirpur Division Muhammad Tayyeb, DIG Police Mirpur Div. Sardar Gulfraz Khan, Deputy Commissioner Raja Mumtaz Tahir, Senior Superintendent Police Raja Irfan Salim and other officials of the district administration closely monitored the election process during the entire day by visiting scores of the polling stations to supervise and review the holding of the polling.
“The polling is held in absolutely free, fair and peaceful atmosphere and there is no any report of any disturbance or major incident from any polling stations”, said SSP Raja Irfan Salim when contacted by APP Saturday evening.
Irfan said the local authorities including police had made adequate arrangements to maintain peace and order to ensure holding of the polls in a peaceful environment.
Pakistan Tehreek-e –Insaf’s Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry bagged 17,673 votes in the by-election to win the Mirpur LA-III seat of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly defeating Chaudhry Sohaib Saeed of PML-N, who obtained 14,813 votes, here on Sunday.
Returning Officer Civil Judge Mian Naeem Ullah while announcing the unofficial result at a news conference in his office said that the PML-N candidate obtained 14,813 votes, while Tehreek-e-Labaik AJK’s Muhammad Shafique-ur-Rehman remained third by securing 1,393 votes.
A total of 14 candidates, mostly independents contested the by-election that was held in a free, fair and peaceful environment.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati congratulated the PTI candidate for winning the by-poll. In a statement, he said success of Barrister Sultan was an evidence of the fact that people trusted Prime Minister Imran Khan and the PTI.
He said people of Azad and Occupied Kashmir viewed with respect the efforts of the Prime Minister for the Kashmir issue.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Kashmir,” he said thanking people of Mirpur for voting for PTI and Barrister Sultan Mehmood
The seat had fallen vacant following the disqualification of the AJK’s incumbent ruling (PML - N) party’s MLA and Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed by the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir in a contempt of court case on September 25 this year.
Saeed had been elected as the AJK LA member in July 2016 elections to the State Legislative Assembly from the seat of PML-N.
Polling started at 8.00 in the morning and continued till 5.00 in the evening without any pause.
Independent observers termed the holding of this by-election in most peaceful, free, fair and transparent environment unprecedented in the electoral history of this Jaat-dominated constituency. Both of the close contestants including PTI’s Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry and PML N’s Sohaib Saeed Chaudhry belong to the same Jaat tribe.
The constituency contains a total of 59,494 registered voters including 32,490 male and 27,004 female voters. An attractive turn-out of voters was found exercising their right to elect their representative to the incumbent State Legislative Assembly for rest of its constitutional period ending in July 2021.
AJK Election Commission had made adequate arrangements establishing a total of 119 polling stations including 49 male, 47 female and 23 joint polling stations to facilitate the electorates to use their right of vote.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner / Senior Member of the Election Commission Judge (retd) Abdul Rasheed Sulehriya, District Returning Officer / District and Session Judge Mian Naeem Ullah, Commissioner Mirpur Division Muhammad Tayyeb, DIG Police Mirpur Div. Sardar Gulfraz Khan, Deputy Commissioner Raja Mumtaz Tahir, Senior Superintendent Police Raja Irfan Salim and other officials of the district administration closely monitored the election process during the entire day by visiting scores of the polling stations to supervise and review the holding of the polling.
“The polling is held in absolutely free, fair and peaceful atmosphere and there is no any report of any disturbance or major incident from any polling stations”, said SSP Raja Irfan Salim when contacted by APP Saturday evening.
Irfan said the local authorities including police had made adequate arrangements to maintain peace and order to ensure holding of the polls in a peaceful environment.