PML-N candidates Rashid Basheer Virk and Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt win NA-77 and PP-203, while low voter turnout and ECP investigations raise electoral concerns.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has retained the NA-77 National Assembly seat in Gujranwala and the PP-203 Punjab Assembly constituency in Sahiwal in Sunday’s by-elections, according to unofficial results, with both party candidates securing comfortable victories amid allegations of electoral violations and low voter turnout.
PML-N candidates Rashid Basheer Virk and Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt defeated their closest rivals by significant margins in their respective constituencies.
In NA-77, Rashid Basheer Virk secured 43,365 votes, defeating Pakistan Markazi Muslim League candidate Muhammad Ibrahim, who received 30,218 votes.
Virk contested the constituency previously represented by his father, Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk, who died on September 11. His father had served as a member of the National Assembly from the constituency five times.
In PP-203, Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt won with 42,114 votes, while his rival, Muhammad Awais Mahmood of Tehreek-i-Ehsas Pakistan, received 24,512 votes.
The by-elections were held to fill vacancies created by the deaths of the two PML-N lawmakers. Polling began at 8am and continued until 5pm. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) described the voting process as largely peaceful and uninterrupted.
However, voter participation remained relatively low. NA-77 recorded a turnout of 15.7%, while PP-203 registered 27.6%, according to provisional results.
Following the conclusion of polling, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz celebrated her party’s victories in a series of posts on X. She described the results as a public rejection of what she called the politics of hatred, revenge and conspiracy.
Maryam said the outcome demonstrated that political performance and public service carried greater value than confrontation. She also criticised political opponents for allegedly failing to acknowledge the changing political landscape.
The electoral exercise was also marked by allegations of violations of the ECP’s code of conduct. The commission issued notices to several PML-N lawmakers and public representatives over their alleged visits to polling stations during voting.
Punjab MPA Qudsia Batool, MNA Saira Afzal Tarar and Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Culture Shazia Rizwan were among those served notices in NA-77. Similar notices were issued to PML-N MNA Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar and MPA Hina Arshad Warraich.
In PP-203, PML-N MPAs Malik Qasim Nadeem and Motiya Begum also received notices over alleged visits to polling stations. The ECP maintained that campaigning and canvassing were prohibited within 400 metres of polling stations on election day.
Separately, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari alleged that supporters of PMML candidate Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar had been caught stamping ballot papers in the presence of election staff. The provincial election commissioner directed the relevant returning officer to investigate the complaint and submit a report.
The commission also took notice of Information Minister Attaullah Tarar’s alleged participation in the NA-77 election campaign. According to the ECP, Tarar travelled to the constituency by helicopter and addressed a campaign gathering in support of Virk.
Public office holders are barred from participating in election campaigns under the commission’s code of conduct. Tarar, Virk, Batool and others have been summoned for a hearing on November 12. The ECP has also sought reports from relevant election officials and warned that the NA-77 result could be withheld pending a final decision.
PP-203’s electoral background
PP-203 has witnessed several electoral developments since the 2024 general elections.
Independent candidate Rai Murtaza Iqbal, backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), initially won the constituency in 2024 with 55,874 votes, defeating Asad Hanif Jutt, who secured 35,163 votes.
However, Iqbal and four other PTI-backed lawmakers were subsequently disqualified and denotified by the ECP following their conviction by an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad on July 31.
Jutt later won the by-election held in November 2025, securing 46,820 votes against independent candidate Falik Sher, who received 10,975 votes. Jutt’s death from cardiac arrest on September 17 led to Sunday’s fresh contest.
For the latest polling exercise, authorities established 185 polling stations and deployed around 1,370 polling personnel, including 574 women and 796 men. District Police Officer Usman Tipu said 1,100 police personnel had been assigned security duties to maintain order during voting.
About The Author
