Pakistan: Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif's PML-N improves showing in by-polls
Pakistan's former PM Nawaz Sharif's PML-N ate the votes of the ruling PTI, winning four out of 11 parliamentary seats that went to the polls. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lost its two seats vacated by its chief and PM Imran Khan. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi won Khan's Lahore seat. Zahid Akram Durrani of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal party won Khan's Bannu seat.
Elections saw a tough competition between PTI and PML-N
The outcome of the by-election won't impact the federal or provincial government but help reinvigorate the opposition parties. Polling for 11 National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, and 24 provincial seats saw a tough competition between the Khan-led PTI and the main opposition PML-N.
PTI won 11 Provincial Assembly seats, PML-N won seven
The PML-N and the PTI won four seats each of the National Assembly whereas Pakistan Muslim League-Quadi won two seats and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal one seat. The PTI won 11 seats of the Provincial Assemblies while the PML-N won seven. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by former President Asif Ali Zardari, and Awami National Party won two each, and independent candidates grabbed two seats.
PML-N won 6 contested seats in Punjab; PTI won 5
The PML-N won six out of 11 contested seats in Punjab while its arch-rival PTI won five. The PML-N also won a Provincial Assembly seat in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which is the stronghold of the PTI. The PML-N won several seats vacated by the PTI candidates during July 25 general elections including at least two seats of the National Assembly.
In a first, overseas Pakistanis also participated in elections online
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 9.28 million voters were eligible to vote. For the first time, overseas Pakistanis also participated in the elections through a special online portal designed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Thousands of army soldiers, police and paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Corps were deployed to provide security at 7,489 polling stations.
Extra troops, security installed at highly sensitive polling stations
The ECP had designated as many as 1,727 polling stations as highly sensitive where extra troops were deployed and security cameras installed. Most of the seats which went to the polls were vacated by those candidates who had won over one seat during the July 25 general elections. Prime Minister Khan had won five seats and vacated four which were also up for grabs.
