SIALKOT: PML-N candidate Hina Arshad Warraich secured a convincing victory in the Punjab Assembly by-election for PP-52 (Sambrial) held on Sunday, according to preliminary results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Warraich, daughter of the late PML-N MPA Arshad Javed Warraich whose seat fell vacant, won with 78,702 votes. Her closest rival, independent candidate Fakhir Nashat Ghumman — backed by the PTI — received 39,018 votes. PPP’s Raheel Kamran Cheema and TLP’s Muhammad Shafaqat came in third and fourth with 6,832 and 4,851 votes, respectively.
Allegations of Rigging
The polling remained largely peaceful across the 185 polling stations. However, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqqas Akram accused the Punjab government and police of interfering in the process, claiming that PTI polling agents were barred from some stations and alleging rigging supported by “video evidence.”
These claims were denied by Provincial Election Commissioner Sharifullah, who confirmed that voting proceeded without interruption.
پی پی 52 سمبڑیال پولنگ اسٹیشن لوپووالی پنجاب پولیس کی جانب بدترین دھاندلی جاری پولنگ ایجنٹس کو باہر نکال دیا گیا عوام پر تشدد pic.twitter.com/CB5CfANZV2
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) June 1, 2025
The local administration’s decision to place containers in front of the Returning Officer’s office drew criticism from both PTI and PPP, the latter staging a sit-in protesting alleged irregularities.
حکومت جس کسی سیاسی پارٹی کی ہو الیکشن صاف اور شفاف ہونے چاہیے اسی الیکشن پر اسمبلی اور حکومت بنتی ہے۔ جس کے پیچے عوامی طاقت ہوتی ہے۔
انتظامیہ کو چاہیے کہ حالات کو کنٹرول اور بے بنیاد افواہوں پر ووٹرز کو تسلی دے تا کہ وہ بلاخوف و خطر اپنا ووٹ کاسٹ کر سکیں۔@RPAPPP#VoteForTeer pic.twitter.com/R7TMdIB9ST— PPP Digital Punjab (@PPDigitalPunjab) June 1, 2025
PPP leader and former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also echoed concerns about polling station closures and warned against manipulation of the results.
Voter Turnout and Election Setup
Out of 297,185 registered voters in PP-52, turnout was recorded at 44.79%, with 133,096 ballots cast. The ECP had designated 11 polling stations as highly sensitive and deployed nearly 1,700 staff to oversee the election.
Victory Statements
Following her win, Hina Arshad Warraich thanked voters and pledged to serve the people of Sambrial, emphasizing her commitment to public service over politics. She acknowledged the support of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in her campaign.
By the grace of Allah Almighty, the PML-N has secured victory in the Sialkot by-election.
Congratulations to our winning candidate, Hina Arshad Sahiba!
This victory is the result of the unwavering leadership of our Quaid, Mian Nawaz Sharif, the untiring efforts of Chief Minister…— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 1, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Warraich on X (formerly Twitter), attributing the win to strong party leadership and dedicated workers. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also extended felicitations, describing the victory as an endorsement of the government’s focus on progress and stability.
