PML-N’s candidate Rana Sanaullah has been elected senator from the Punjab seat in a by-election, securing 250 votes. A total of 251 votes were cast, with one rejected, according to unofficial results.
The election appeared one-sided after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) boycotted the election process, warning its members that participating would go against party policy.
The opposition had fielded Salma Ijaz, wife of former PTI leader Ejaz Chaudhry.
The seat fell vacant following Chaudhry’s disqualification after an anti-terrorism court sentenced him to 10 years in prison over the May 9 riot cases.
Read: Bananas vs sour grapes in National Assembly today
On September 8, the Lahore High Court, while hearing a plea filed on behalf of Ejaz Chaudhry challenging his disqualification and the issuance of the election schedule by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ordered that “further process in pursuance of impugned notification may continue, however, its fate should be subject to the outcome of this petition.”
Rana Sanaullah had previously contested the February 8 general elections from Faisalabad but did not win a National Assembly seat.
He served as Interior Minister during the last Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government and also held the Law Minister portfolio twice under Shehbaz Sharif as Punjab chief minister.
The Punjab seat is part of a Senate comprising 363 members across nine political parties. PML-N holds a majority with 229 members, while other parties include Sunni Ittehad Council (73), PTI (24), PPPP (16), Pakistan Muslim League (11), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (7), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (1), Pakistan Muslim League Zia (1), and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (1). PML-N claimed to have the support of over 260 members.
PMLN claimed to have the support of over 260 members.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ