PP-194 seat: PPP’s Usman Bhatti squeezes in a win by 400 votes
Bhatti had secured 20,416 votes in by-election for PP-194 constituency in Multan.
MULTAN:
Usman Bhatti of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) narrowly won the by-elections in PP-194 constituency in Multan by 400 votes.
The constituency had remained the seat of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) in the all previous general elections.
Bhatti had secured 20,416 votes while 20,097 votes were secured by Muinuddin Riaz Qureshi of PML-N, according to the final unofficial results. The voting turn-out remained at about 22%.
The PP-194 seat had been vacant since the resignation of Shahid Mehmood Khan of PML-N who had later joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) with Javed Hashmi.
PML-N had given the ticket to Muinuddin Riaz Qureshi ignoring all other PML-N workers in Multan. Qureshi had earlier contested the seat from a PML -Quaid ticket and had served as the provincial minister following his successful election in the 2002 general elections.
Electronic voting machines get a field test
The by-elections carried a significance other than consolidating PPP position in south Punjab. The elections featured the use of electronic voting machines for the first time in Pakistan. Machines had been set up in polling stations at Women Degree College, Kutchery and Workers Welfare School on experimental basis.
The total number of voters was 1,88,472, with 1,02,416 male voters and 86,056 female voters. At least 134 polling stations were set up by the Election Commission of Pakistan including 69 for male voters and 65 for female voters.
Eight independent candidates were also contesting in the by-elections.
Usman Bhatti of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) narrowly won the by-elections in PP-194 constituency in Multan by 400 votes.
The constituency had remained the seat of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) in the all previous general elections.
Bhatti had secured 20,416 votes while 20,097 votes were secured by Muinuddin Riaz Qureshi of PML-N, according to the final unofficial results. The voting turn-out remained at about 22%.
The PP-194 seat had been vacant since the resignation of Shahid Mehmood Khan of PML-N who had later joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) with Javed Hashmi.
PML-N had given the ticket to Muinuddin Riaz Qureshi ignoring all other PML-N workers in Multan. Qureshi had earlier contested the seat from a PML -Quaid ticket and had served as the provincial minister following his successful election in the 2002 general elections.
Electronic voting machines get a field test
The by-elections carried a significance other than consolidating PPP position in south Punjab. The elections featured the use of electronic voting machines for the first time in Pakistan. Machines had been set up in polling stations at Women Degree College, Kutchery and Workers Welfare School on experimental basis.
The total number of voters was 1,88,472, with 1,02,416 male voters and 86,056 female voters. At least 134 polling stations were set up by the Election Commission of Pakistan including 69 for male voters and 65 for female voters.
Eight independent candidates were also contesting in the by-elections.