The ruling PML-N is said to have been engaged in an aggressive campaign to get Hashmi re-elected. On the other hand, the PTI has thrown its weight behind Dogar. Most of the time, this seat has been won by PML-N in the past.
Polling in NA-149 commenced at 8am today and continued till 5pm without any break. Dogar has cast his vote in the elections. However, Hashmi cannot cast his vote in NA-149 as he is registered in the NA-148 constituency.
Read a profile of the top two candidates here.
October 17, 12:30am
Flanked by PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, NA-149 by-election winner Malik Amir Dogar announced that he will be joining PTI.
Addressing the media after unofficial results were announced, Dogar thanked the PTI leadership for their support including that of Qureshi, PTI workers for placing their trust in him. He expressed his gratitude to the voters of the NA-149 for electing him.
“I thank people of NA-149 for electing me with such a heavy mandate,” said Dogar. He added that the result was not just the defeat of Hashmi, but also the defeat of the rulers. “Despite using all the government machinery, Punjab government was not able to woo voters.”
Congratulating Dogar on his victory, Qureshi said, “Winds of change have already started blowing and today Dogar has beaten the old system.”
“It seems ‘Rabbit’ has eaten the ‘Lion’,” said PTI vice chairman.
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October 17, 12:15am
After Javed Hashmi’s defeat in the NA-149 by-elections on Thursday, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson said that the voting pattern and margin of victory validates results of the May 11, 2013 elections
Read the full story here.
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October 16, 10:45pm
According to unofficial results, Dogar has won the by-elections by securing 52,321 votes, while Hashmi got 38,393 votes.
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October 16, 10:30pm
Javed Hashmi concedes defeat in NA-149 by-elections and congratulates Dogar over his victory, Express News reported.
The former PTI leader said he was rejected by all political parties and not the masses. “I stood in the elections alone. I do not consider securing 47,000 votes as my defeat,” he said.
He also thanked the workers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for supporting him. “I thank the PML-N workers, they really worked hard.”
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October 16, 9:30pm
Unofficial results from 220 polling stations show Dogar leading with 49,630 votes while Hashmi trails behind with 38,460 votes.
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October 16, 8:45pm
Unofficial results from 161 polling stations show Amir Dogar leading by a difference of 10,670 votes.
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October 16, 8:30pm
PTI central information secretary Shireen Mazari has said that results of the by-elections have vindicated the stance PTI had taken up in their sit-ins, Express News reported.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should resign now,” she reiterated.
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October 16, 7:50pm
Hashmi is trailing behind with 14,160 votes while Dogar leads with 22,162 votes as per unofficial results from 105 polling stations.
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October 16, 7:16pm
Unofficial results from 65 polling stations show Dogar leading with 12,348 votes while Hashmi trails behind with 7,734 votes.
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October 16, 6:50pm
“After preliminary results, it seems that the results are not in my favour and I will congratulate whoever wins,” Javed Hashmi says while talking to Express News.
"It has also been proven that Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri should challenge the government through ballot boxes as all other ways will destroy the country and its economy.”
“Even if I have lost, I have succeeded in a way because this is the method I wanted to adopt,” he added.
“Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and I have not approached each other but their workers and supporters campaigned for me and worked for me,” the veteran politician said, expressing his gratitude towards the PML-N.
Express News screengrab of Javed Hashmi.
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October 16, 6:06pm
As per unofficial results of 26 polling stations, Amir Dogar is said to be leading by a difference of 1,973 votes.
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October 16, 6:00pm
The Election Commission of Pakistan has decided not to take any action against Javed Hashmi after his canvassing efforts in Multan seemed to have violated ECP rules.
According to an ECP announcement, political campaigns for the by-election in NA-149 Multan ended at midnight Tuesday since ECP had asked the contesting candidates to conclude their election campaign 48 hours before the polling day.
Be that as it may, a PML-N supporter, Azhar Baloch, dropped pamphlets on Wednesday from a rented airplane — costing roughly Rs40,000 an hour – in favour of the former PTI president.
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October 16, 5:18pm
Polls have closed in Multan and counting is underway.
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Reporting before polls closed
As polling for by-elections in NA-149 continued, a scuffle broke out between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supporters on Thursday at the Shamsabad polling station.
Reportedly, a PML-N MNA Sultana Shaheen was visiting a polling station when she alleged that presiding officers were rigging elections in favour of independent candidate Malik Aamir Dogar by stamping ballot papers.
“I could not make a video but I have pictures,” the PML-N MNA told Express News. However, the MNA refused to share the images with Express News.
Her allegations angered PML-N supporters, who started chanting against the PTI supporters. The chants led to a brief scuffle between supporters of the two parties.
Polling has been put on hold at this particular station, and Rangers and police have been deployed to maintain calm. The Shamsabad polling station is among the 16 polling stations declared sensitive ahead of the polls.
ECP satisfied with arrangements
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made for conducting by-elections in NA-149 Multan-II.
"We have made all necessary arrangements to conduct Multan by-elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner," an ECP official told APP.
He said additional security personnel have been deployed at sensitive polling station to thwart any untoward incident while the necessary measures are in place for smooth polling.
For the by-polls, 286 polling stations have been set up, 144 for men and 142 for women. Eighteen candidates are in the run for the seat.
Security forces have declared 90 of the polling stations sensitive and 16 highly sensitive. To avoid any untoward situation 3,500 policemen have been deployed and they are also patrolling the city.
Rangers personnel have also been deployed at 107 A category polling stations, 96 in B-category and 83 in C-category.
The total number of registered voters in the constituency are 345,998 of which 188,208 are men and 157,790 are women.
Supporters of the candidates have set up camps to facilitate voters at different locations in the city. The offices of district government and schools were closed by the government to facilitate the voters to exercise their right of franchise.
Magnetic ink
ECP claimed that it has used specialised ink for thumb impressions on counterfoils of ballot papers in NA-149.
ECP officials said that this ink was different than the magnetic ink used in 2013 general elections. They also claimed that new ink would make it possible to verify every ballots cast in the polls.
To a question, the ECP secretary said that it cannot take action on its own based on media reports that Hashmi’s supporters distributed leaflets after campaigning stopped 48 hours before the polling day. He added that under the law, the district returning officer is supposed to take notice of such an action, who has already sought a report from DCO Multan.
COMMENTS (44)
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@Salman: Don't you see the problem with Imran and his followers? They only accept elections and judgments that go in their favor. Everything else is either unfair, rigged, or foreign influenced. They should learn from this 'senile' person (who happened to be their president for two years and was not senile then) how to gracefully accept defeat. Hashmi has proven to be a man of principles, and Imran with his Pyrrhic victory has shown he is opportunistic and will go happily pick up crumbs after promising a revolution/tsunami.
@Raghu: Or may be Hashmi is right ....
@oBSERVER: You do know that Dogar switched to independent/PTI from PPP at the last min, right? Or are you completely blinded by your IK fever?
Javed hashmi is nothing without pti .he should learn lesson from this defeat.
Dogar himself is a PPP turncoat. He and his family members are involved in corruption cases and are being investigated by the Ihtehsab Bureau. At the end of the day all parties lack clear manifestos and politicians change sides on a whim.
@ Salman
You know that PPP had their own candidate named Javed Siddiqi contesting this election right?
@Ernesto: Haha joke of the year
@Multani: With liars like you no wonder pakistan is in this state.
@Imran Qadri:
You forget to mention RAW, Mosaad, CIA, Martians under Winners.
@imran qadri..,,really ?how de we not know this?you are angel right?
PTI is the only thing that is not the establishment. PPP and PML are the establishment and they both lost@Imran Qadri:
@Imran Qadri:
PPP+PTI???
Last I checked Zardari was stuffing his face with food at Nawaz Sharif's residence. Not Imran Khans.
Get your brain checked.
You win some, you lose some. Well-fought for Javed Hashmi. He should take some rest now and prepare to contest in 2018. And Dogar should submit his resignation on Day 1 right after being sworn in like all the other loyal PTI members. Otherwise there'll be a big question mark on his role in the house. OR, he could just join PML-N once in the NA if he's not planning to be an independent member until 2018. In either case, PTI hasn't really won anything.
Now lets see if other PTI lawmakers in assemblies who seem reluctant to get their resignation verified,also show moral courage like Hashmi and actually resign for parliament.
PPP+PTI+Establishment VS Hashmi+PMLN
Winner : PPP+PTI+Establishment.
Besides ganging up of PPP and PTI against against Hashmi and PMLN,other major factor is infighting within PMLN local leadership that costs them to loose on such seats.
hashmi is finished after this. and people of multan has spoken.. few months ago he was talking against pml n and now were hoping for their support. salute to pakistanis who voted against him
@Jawad U Rahman: do you not see the problem in his comment? Imran Khan IS challenging them through ballot boxes - he's asking for fair elections! this Hashmi guy has gone senile.
Don't give up hope Mr.Hashmi, PMLN can work magic overnight!
I have developed so much respect for Mr. Javed Hashmi. I hope PTI learns from this as well. Great quotes from him in accepting the defeat: “After preliminary results, it seems that the results are not in my favour and I will congratulate whoever wins,” Javed Hashmi says while talking to Express News. “It has also been proven that Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri should challenge the government through ballot boxes as all other ways will destroy the country and its economy.” “Even if I have lost, I have succeeded in a way because this is the method I wanted to adopt,” he added.
Pakistani politicians has been known as being "turn coats' and Mr.Hashmi is no exception although he portrays to be up and up person. He has lost his credibility when he aligned himself with NS and his personal party PML-Nawaz. Mr. Hashmi has no place in that party because it is a dynastic party and Nawaz''s family comes first and they will perpetuate this dynastic party unless booted out by the young generation for Pakistan for good.
looks like multan is giving a harsh farewell to the thekedar of jamhoriat...Good job Multan...
Finally it's dawned upon him that he is defeated..whoever has fought imran has lost GEO a behemoth has been in serious decline ..hashmi never stood a chance pmnl fought tooth an nail ppl have spoken this is a big loss for pmnl/ppp in effect status quo v PTI and seems PTI has done the lot over
Mid term elections are coming anyway
It makes me wonder what actually ignited Hashmi to do what he is doing? Cash? Power? Honesty to PMLN? I don't get it. How can a man of 70 plus act in such an irresponsible way. One day he was praising PTI, next day he was ridiculing the same party. When he was in PTI, he said on the floor of the house that he considered PM Nawaz as his leader....!!! IK had made a mistake in judging his partners. Next time IK should be more careful to pick fresh candidates rather than other party candidates.
Multaniz make us proud. Elect Hashmi
it's good to see the PPP name has been demolished from Pakistan Politics after people suffered from Zardari led rule. And now Pakistan two major political parties are PTI and PMLN
PPP should merged in PMLN or PTI.
Hashmi is no candidate any more, he has disqualified himself by violating the Election laws. ECP must declare this fact clearly to avoid unnecessary hue and cry later. This man must be made an example of, there can't be prima donas in our politics, not anymore.
Wrong statistics that this constituency is mostly won by PML-N. I am a resident and let me tell that this constituency has historically voted by around 35-40% in favor of PPP, except in 2013. This constituency was won by PPP in 2002 and 1988.
@Abdullah: the drama from N league will start after evening.....
@oBSERVER: Lol..wasn't dogar with the ppp just a few months back???
I am a Multani and have visited the area, honestly Hashmi is leading by a huge margin
it was already decided in PM house, election are being held to highlight that selection.
@Salman: PTI does not have a candidate in the election.
The voting will be up to 5 pm aand there after the counting will start at the polling both and the result will be compiled by the Returning Officer and here the election for two states held on 15.10.2014 and counting will be on 19.10.2014 after four days why the Indian Election commission order the counting after the voting is over we have to wait for many days.
People have to choose between a sick and mentally impaired man to a healthy man who lives among them and does not change loyalties for money.
I am from Multan NA149, just visited all the poling stations, let me tell you guys, Hashmi is going to loose this battle with big margin... Iam sharing my unbiased observations
So PTI now depends on PPP's votes??!!!
How did the camera got in?? I guess call of this is banned in polling stations....
Several News channels have already reported the extensive pre poll rigging that has occurred. I'll be really surprised if NA-149 doesnt get punctured specially with the King of Punctures sitting at the throne of Prime Ministership.
Let it begin. Cmon Multan teach the backstabber a lesson.
PTI is not position to place his own candidate due to his stance of RESIGNATION of Assembly otherwise it would be a ONE SIDED CONTEST.
Now this the REFERENDUM on single point - BAGHI Vs DAGHI
Let the rigging begin!
Let the rigging begin!
I am so glad that villagers from both sides of the border are represented. Thank you!