Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dreams of winning NA-19 (Haripur) by-elections were shattered as according to unofficial results, PML-N candidate Babar Nawaz Khan is leading with 63224 votes followed by PTI candidate Raja Aamir Zaman with 3218 votes.
A spokesperson of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elections Commission told Business Recorder that results of 180 polling stations were counted and complete unofficial result would be compiled by early morning.
He maintained that initially unofficial result would be announced by the provincial election commissioner followed by notification of official result by Election Commission of Pakistan.
As many as nine candidates including Babar Nawaz Khan of PML-N, Raja Aamir Zaman of PTI and Haji Mohammad Tahir Qureshi of PPP were in the run for NA-19 (haripur) by-elections, a seat which fell vacant after Supreme Court disqualified PML-N MNA Omar Ayub.
Over five hundred and fifty thousand registered voters including over two hundred and fifty thousand female voters exercised their right to franchise. For this purpose, the election commission had established five-hundred-and-thirteen polling stations.
The district administration made elaborate security arrangements to provide peaceful environment to voters on polling day. Army and Rangers performed duties in NA-19 only in sensitive polling stations.
The Election Commission of Pakistan also adopted bio-metric system at 30 polling stations in NA-19 Haripur. NADRA, PTA and UFONE rendered technical assistance in this regard. Conduct of pilot project is in line with the desire of political parties which was conveyed through Electoral Reforms Committee of Parliament to the effect that a test run of biometrics may be conducted in any bye-election to educate general public.
A spokesman of ECP told Business Recorder that they had received no complaint regarding denial to female voters to poll in the constituency. He further said there was no complaint received about violation of code of conduct. He further pointed out that some political parties objected to the visits of public office holders and the canvassing for their candidates.
It apparently is violation of code of conduct but it had to be amended due to judgement passed by the Lahore High Court removing the relevant clause of code of conduct, against which the Election Commission's appeal is pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
ECP official maintained that it may be added here that an objection is pouring in from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but the very writ petition before the Lahore High Court was lodged by Mansoor Sarwar Khan, Advocate High Court, who is President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Punjab.
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