Islamabad/Peshawa, Oct 22 (UNI) The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has lost the PK-71 seat to Awami National Party (ANP) in Peshawar, but its candidates are leading the race in Karachi’s NA-247 and PS-111 constituencies in the second round of by-elections.
ANP’s Salahuddin won the by-election, securing 11,257 votes with his rival candidate from PTI, Zulfiqar Khan managing to bag 9,854 votes. Independent candidate Dildar Khan came third with 5,409 votes, reported the Express Tribune.
Meanwhile, Shehzad Qureshi of PTI is leading in the PS-111 by-election against Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Jahanzeb Mughal and Fayaz Pirzada of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Qureshi secured 11,244 votes whereas PPP’s Pirzada got 5,367. MQM’s Mughal came third with 2,146 votes.
The ruling party is also leading in the NA-247 constituency, where its candidate Aftab Hussain Siddiqui has bagged 31,992 votes while MQM’s Sadiq Iftikhar is trailing behind with 13,703 and PPP’s Qaiser Khan Nizamani with 12,982 votes.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced by-elections on the Peshawar seat after The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Shah Farman assumed charge as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor while NA-247 (Karachi South II) seat was vacated after Dr Arif Alvi took oath as head of state.
When Imran Ismail took oath as Sindh governor, he had to give up his provincial assembly seat – PS-111 (Karachi South V).
A total of five candidates were contesting for the slot, however a close contest is expected between Awami National Party’s (ANP) Salahuddin Mohmand and PTI’s Zulfiqar Ali – the brother of Shah Farman.
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