PML-N candidate Rana Qasim Noon won the by poll in NA-153 (MULTAN VI)

PML-N CANDIDATE SWEPT THE BYPOLL

MULTAN, March 17: Rana Qasim Noon, a candidate of ruling Pakistan Muslim League is leading  with a big margin in NA-153 ( MULTAN-VI) Jalalapur Pirwala. PTI candidate Ghulam Abbas Khakhi and PPP candidate Malik Akram Kanhun are runner up.and PTI fielded Ghulam Abbas Khakhi for by poll. Voters turned up in a large number inspite of rainy season and the candidates managed to take the voters out of their homes. Good turnout was  observed in the constituency NA-153 (Multan-VI) by poll mainly inspite of rain continued round the clock .Broken roads and streets, and bazaars could not make the polling boths  inaccessible and walkways were covered with mud, however, the polling held in  peaceful environment and army personnels, police  fully guarded the polling stations  in the remote town of Jalalpur Pirwala on Thursday.
The Free and Fair Election Network observed the by election was neither free nor transparent and numbers of violations observed during the whole day, particularly respective candidates’ polling agents were not allowed sitting along with Presiding Officers, which made the whole process suspicious.The FAFEN has estimated low turnout and it was ranged between 40 pc to 45pc. The Election Commission of Pakistan statics revealed the 60pc turnout was observed in 2013 general elections, 46.91pc in 2008 elections and 47.14pc turnout observed in 2002 general elections.  
However, polling remained peaceful and strict security arrangements were made to avoid any unusual situation. No untoward incident could be reported from the polling stations where Pakistan Muslim League-N, Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf and Pakistan People’s Party candidates were contesting neck to neck.
The numbers of voters were unaware about the restriction on bringing mobile sets to polling stations and security personnel disallowed their entry with mobile phones. No safe point was available to keep mobile sets in safe custody. When the voters were disallowed polling votes, they left and did not return to respective polling stations. The factor had contributed a lot in dropping the turn out in by poll.
The polling was started at 8am and continued until 5pm. More than one soldier were posted around sensitive polling stations. The district police declared 75 polling stations sensitive out of 276 and more than 7000 police personnel posted besides army personnel. According to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), there are over 3,79,963 registered voters in the constituency.  There were 276 polling station and 856 polling booths in the constituency.Of them 77 polling stations were declared sensitive.
The seat fell vacant following disqualification of PML-N lawmaker Dewan Ashiq Hussain Bukhari by Supreme Court for fake degree of F.A. The disqualification was made result of petition filed by Rana Qasim contesting the by poll on PML-N ticket. The disqualified candidate Dewan Ashiq Bokhari withdrawal his son Dewan Ghulam Abbas Bokhari’s candidature in favor of Rana Qasim Noon.  The PPP issued party ticket to Multan district president Malik Akram Kanhun and PTI fielded Ghulam Abbas Khakhi for by poll.
In the 2013 general elections, Dewan Ashiq Bukhari had bagged 94, 298 votes while Rana Qasim Noon on PPP ticket secured 94413 votes. The PTI candidate Saeed Khurshid Ahmed got 18155 votes.