The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was dealt a major blow after opposition Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) emerged victorious in much-hyped NA-75 Daska by-election with a huge margin of over 19,000 votes on Saturday.
As per the unconfirmed and unofficial results of all 360 polling stations, PML- N candidate Nosheen Iftikhar bagged 111,220 votes against PTI’s Ali Asjad Malhi secured 92,019 votes.
Soon after the announcement, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter to celebrate the election victory, saying the people of Daska had won the war of “restoring the sanctity of vote”.
Khalil Sindhu of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is also a strong candidate for the seat.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja is reportedly in the provincial election commission office in Lahore as he is personally supervising the re-polling process.
During the day, the ECP issued a show-cause notice to PML-N MPA Zeeshan Rafique for violating the election code of conduct.
The district election commissioner has also sought an explanation from the MPA within a day.
On the other hand, the district monitoring officer of NA-75 Daska issued show-cause notices to PML-Q leader Chaudhry Saleem Bariar and special assistant to Punjab CM Firdous Ashiq Awan for violating the code of conduct.
PML-Q leader Bariar on April 9 announced a development package of Rs500 million for the constituency and Awan had announced the package for the constituency during a press conference.
"The announcement of development packages for the constituency is a violation of the code of conduct," the election commission said. The district monitoring officer sought a reply from both within two days.
The constituency’s returning officer has also replied to the PML-N candidate, who a day earlier had submitted an application to the chief election commissioner, alleging that certain presiding officers had been tasked by her opponents with casting bogus votes in around 100 polling stations.
The RO said that special instructions have been issued to the presiding officers to be fair and responsible in discharging their duties and that the election commission’s monitoring teams are closely monitoring all election factors.
Polling has ended in the NA-75 Daska constituency, where a close contest is expected between the ruling PTI and the PML-N.Polling started at 8am and continued uninterrupted till 5pm in a peaceful manner. PML-N candidate Nausheen Iftikhar maintained her lead.
After 5pm, only those voters who were inside the polling stations were allowed to cast their votes while counting has begun in most areas of the constituency.
The PML-N has awarded the ticket to Nosheen Iftikhar while Ali Asjad Malhi is the candidate for the PTI. A candidate of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Khalil Sandhu, is also in the run.
Rangers are on patrol duty, ensuring the transportation of election staff and material, while army troops have been stationed in Daska Stadium and will be available on call.
To make the conduct of the re-poll transparent, CCTV cameras have been installed at 47 sensitive polling stations, out of a total 360.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided that the presiding officers will sign the Form 45 (final results) inside the polling stations in the presence of polling agents of the respective candidates before they leave the premises, while no political figure will be allowed to meet the RO while receiving the election results.
The NA-75 seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N MNA Syed Iftikharul Hassan alias Zahry Shah in August 2020. The by-poll was delayed for six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ECP had withheld the results of the Feb 19 by-poll in Daska due to violence, rigging and the disappearance of over 20 presiding officers and ordered a re-election in the entire constituency. The order was later upheld by the Supreme Court.
The government's fears will prove to be true, she said, adding that the people of the constituency will cast their vote in order to avenge the deaths of those killed on Feb 19. She stated that voters will demonstrate their lack of confidence in the current government by casting their vote, adding that incompetent governance had endangered the country's security.
"Daska will expose those who made false promises and have taken the country thirty years back in the span of three," she said.
She said that the people of Daska will not only guard the sanctity of the vote but will also protect polling staff.
PML-N submits application to CEC
Nosheen Iftikhar, the PML-N candidate, submitted an application to the chief election commissioner on Friday, alleging that certain presiding officers had been tasked by her opponents with casting additional/bogus votes in about 100 polling stations.
She requested for foolproof arrangements to ensure that no bogus votes were cast and that a mechanism be put in place to tally counterfoils with the number of votes cast and to check whether the counterfoils contain authentic and verified particulars of voters.
She also sought deputation of polling officers at each polling station by the ECP to keep a check on presiding officers.
The returning officer responded that the candidate should specify the names of the presiding officers along with their polling station numbers, and tangible evidence as no [preventive] action may be taken on mere speculations and apprehensions.
In another application, she invited the attention of election authorities that CCTV are not being installed on all main roads in Daska and feared that the lack of monitoring equipment may encourage violence.
The returning officer told the candidate that surveillance cameras had been installed in accordance with the SOPs (standard operating procedures) at all the polling stations declared highly sensitive by the district returning officer to record poll proceedings, vote counting process and preparation of results by the presiding officers.
Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, while addressing a press conference after polling ended, said the prime minister had given instructions to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to ensure a "level playing ground" in the Daska by-polls.
Awan said the media had shown through its cameras today that polls were conducted in a smooth and peaceful manner, adding that the administration had complied with the instructions of the ECP in letter and spirit.
She said it was the PML-N's old habit to never accept the results when they lose and urged both sides to accept the results of the re-election whatever the outcome is.
