Bhakkar by-elections: PML-N supported candidate wins

Qadri fails to impress voters in Punjab as PAT’s candidate bags only 13,700 votes

BHAKKAR: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadiri has failed to impress voters with his revolutionary ideas in Punjab as the candidate, supported by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), secured the maximum votes in Bhakkar district by-election on Saturday.

There were three major candidates in the constituency including the PAT’s candidate Nazar Abbas; Inaamullah Khan Niazi – an independent candidate officially supported by the PML-N; and Ahmed Nawaz Nawani from the Nawani group, who had remained a part of PML-N for the three decades till 2013.

According to official results, the winning candidate Inaamullah Khan Niazi secured 47,593 votes, the second in the lane Ahmed Nawaz Nawani got 47,013  votes while the PAT’s Nazar Abbas secured the least 13,721 votes.

The voting turnout remained unexpected. It was nearly 76% - the highest in the history of the constituency and equally in the history of any by-elections in the Punjab province.  The seat of Punjab Assembly PP-48 had fallen vacant after – Inaamullah’s younger brother MPA Najeebullah Khan Niazi died on October 4.

Niazi is the first cousin of the PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Both he and his younger brother were declared ineligible earlier this year and were sentenced to imprisonment over fake degree by local court in district Bhakkar.

After the win, Inaamullah dedicated his victory to his late brother’s tireless efforts for promoting democracy in the country.  Talking to The Express Tribune, he said the voters’ verdict has proved that real power lies in the hands of the people and no so-called demonstrations and planned protests can deprive them of their power.

He also noted that people have proved that they cannot be fooled by so-called materialistic political slogans. Paying tribute to late Najeebullah Khan Niazi, hundreds of voters were seen crying in memory of their leader.

Niazi was backed mainly by the PML-N as well as other right wing parties including Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Jamaat-e-Islami and other supporting religious coalition in the constituency.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2014.