MULTAN - The PML-N won NA-153 Multan-Vl (Jalalpur) by election as its candidate Rana Qasim Noon defeated PTI and PPP candidates with a massive lead here on Thursday, disclosed the unofficial result.
The winning candidate Rana Qasim Noon defeated his nearest opponent PTI’s Malik Ghulam Abbas Khakhi with a huge difference of 75,422 votes as Mr. Noon secured 108,987 votes while the runner up Khakhi could get 33,565, said the unofficial unconfirmed result. The PPP candidate Malik Akram Kanhu got 30,954.
The PML workers burst into celebrations as crowds of supporters gathered at the Dera of Rana Qasim Noon and danced to drum beat.
The voting took place in peaceful atmosphere as no considerable untoward incident took place except for exchanges of hot words and tiny clashes between workers of PPP, PTI and PML-N at different polling stations.
The PPP workers staged a demonstration outside Polling Station No-10 under the leadership of PPPP South Punjab Secretary General Shaukat Basra against what they claimed as forced eviction of their polling agents from different polling stations. However, they ended protest when their polling agents were allowed inside the polling stations.
The polling begun at 9am and continued till 5pm, without any interval. The turnout remained very low in the early hours of voting time due to rain. However, the voting picked up as soon as the rain stopped and long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations till the last hour.
The disqualification of PML-N MNA Dewan AShiq Bokhari caused by-election in NA-153 and 10 candidates are in the run. Former provincial minister Rana Qasim Noon is contesting election on PML-N ticket, Malik Akram Kanhu PPP and Ghulam Abbas Khakhi PTI. Similarly, some other candidates including Ashfaq Khakhi contested as independent candidate on electoral sign of goat, Prof Lajpaal toothbrush, Kh. Ibrahim Diamond, Dewan Muhammad Ali Bullock, Aslam Kanhu Bear, Malik Ramzan Deer and Nawab Iqbal Elephant are also vying for this seat.
A total of 379,962 registered voters including 200,678 male and 179,284 female ones exercised the right to vote. The ECP constituted 276 polling stations with 854 polling booths for conducting the polling.
Strict security arrangements were made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the holding of free and fair election. Four companies of Pakistan Army and thousands of police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the election.
Out of total 276 polling stations, at least 75 were declared highly sensitive and 45 sensitive in view of reports of secret agencies. The categorization of polling stations done by the security agencies disclosed that 49 polling stations fall in A category and 152 B. The security operation was led by the CPO Multan Azhar Akram and four SPs, 5 DSPs, 61 Inspectors, 573 inspectors and sub inspectors, 419 head constables, 5,335 constables and 931 female cops assisted him.
PML-N, PTI, PPP keep raising rigging claims: Although the polling for by-election to NA-153 Multan-Vl (Jalalpur) took place in peaceful atmosphere, the leaders of ruling PML-N and opposition PPP as well as PTI kept blaming one another for rigging throughout the day.
The PML-N leaders - MNA Javed Ali Shah and MPA Naghma Mushtaq Laang said that the balloon of PTI had deflated while the PPP leaders accused the government of breaking all previous rigging records.
Talking to the journalists in Jalalpur Pirwala, PPP South Punjab Secretary General Shaukat Basra claimed that the Punjab Government utilised all state resources in support of PML-N candidate Rana Qasim Noon as the district administration, patwaris and other public servants were assigned duties in this regard. He added that the polling agents of PPP were forced out of many polling stations with the connivance of district administration. “When we lodged protest and our workers staged demonstrations, the administration allowed our agents to sit in the polling stations,” he added.
He lashed out at the government and said that it had lost mandate due to its public enemy policies, adding that the defeat of PML-N candidates in recent by-elections was proof of this claim. “That’s why the rulers have given ticket to a turncoat instead of their true worker and now they are using all rigging tactics for his victory,” he maintained. He said that on the other hand the PPPP gave ticket to its worker.
Talking to the journalists, MNA of PML-N Syed Javed Ali Shah said that the PML-N candidate Rana Qasim Noon would win with thumping majority and it would be a big proof of public’s trust in government’s policies. He claimed that the development process kick started by the government increased the popularity of PML-N while on the other hand it deflated the balloon of PTI. “The defeat of PTI and PPP candidates is a writing on the wall and having seen this, they have started levelling conventional allegations of rigging,” he added. He said that the ECP deployed Army on the demands of opposition for transparent elections but they still levelled allegations which was a condemnable act.
PTI MNAs - Jahangir Khan Tareen and Malik Aamir Dogar visited the constituency along with other party office-bearers and parliamentarians. They were of the opinion that the ruling party had already lost the contest on moral grounds as it granted ticket to a turncoat.