PML-N's Asad Hanif Jutt wins Chichawatni by-poll

CHICHAWATNI:

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Asad Hanif Jutt on Sunday won the by-election in Punjab Assembly constituency PP-203, defeating his closest rival, Muhammad Awais Mahmood Gujjar of Tehrik-e-Ehsas-e-Pakistan.

He won by a margin of 16,806 votes as a relatively low voter turnout marked the contest.

According to the reported results, Jutt secured 41,912 votes against Gujjar's 25,106.

The overall voter turnout remained around 28 per cent, despite a late surge in participation during the final three hours of polling. The constituency had 258,122 registered voters, while 185 polling stations were established across the constituency.

Polling began at 8am and continued uninterrupted until 5pm. The contest featured the PML-N and Tehreek-e-Ehsaas-e-Pakistan candidates, alongside five independent candidates.

Voter participation remained particularly sluggish during the first half of the day, with turnout standing at around eight per cent between 8am and 2pm.

However, voters began turning up in greater numbers after 2pm, pushing the overall turnout to approximately 28 per cent by the close of polling.

Elaborate security arrangements were put in place for the by-election, with more than 1,100 police officers and personnel deployed to maintain law and order and ensure a peaceful polling process.

Regional Police Officer Rana Ayaz Saleem, Sahiwal Commissioner Dr Asif Tufail, Deputy Commissioner Samiullah Farooq and District Police Officer Muhammad Usman Tipu personally visited sensitive and other polling stations to monitor the electoral process and review security arrangements.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated PML-N candidates Rashid Bashir Warraich and Muhammad Asad Hanif on their victories in the Punjab by-elections.

In his congratulatory message, the prime minister said voters had endorsed the government's agenda of development, prosperity and public service, adding that the electoral success was the outcome of the collective efforts of the PML-N leadership, party workers and the people.