ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured a decisive win in the PP-52 Sambaharial by-election, as party candidate Hina Arshad Warraich emerged victorious with 78,702 votes, according to unofficial results.
She defeated her closest contender, independent candidate Fakhar Nishat Ghumman, who garnered 39,018 votes.
The seat had fallen vacant following the passing of former MPA Chaudhry Arshad Warraich.
Polling was conducted smoothly across 185 polling stations on Sunday, with 11 categorized as highly sensitive. Security arrangements were tight throughout the day.
Besides the top two contenders, Raheel Kamran Cheema (PPP) and Chaudhry Shafqat (TLP) were also in the race. The constituency has a total of 296,563 registered voters.
PTI Cries Foul, Alleges Election Rigging
Following the results, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) strongly protested what it described as widespread electoral malpractice.
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram held a press conference in Islamabad, alleging that PTI had initially won the seat during the general elections on February 8, but their mandate was stolen.
He claimed that PTI polling agents were forcefully removed from stations and that ballots were stamped illegally under police supervision. “PML-N thugs created chaos and exposed their true colors,” he said, accusing law enforcement of backing the alleged rigging.
PML-N Responds to Accusations
In response, PML-N leaders dismissed the allegations as political theater.
Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, and criticized PTI’s claims. “Same old script, lies, drama, and nonstop whining,” she wrote, accusing the party of trying to distract from its failures.
“Defeat looking desperate. Screaming like sore losers because they are sore losers,” she added. PML-N maintained that the election was conducted fairly and accused PTI of spreading baseless propaganda.
