NAROWAL/GUJRAT: As the PML-N candidate seemed poised to clinch the byelection on a provincial assembly seat (PP52) in Sialkot by a wide margin, rival candidates alleged interference by the ruling party to manipulate results with the help of the administration and police on Sunday.

The balloting remained peaceful throughout the day, except for verbal arguments between PTI supporters and the police at some polling stations out of a total of 185.

By the time this report went to press, unofficial results indicated that PML-N candidate Hina Arshad Warraich had clinched the seat with 78,702 votes against PTI-backed independent candidate Fakhir Nashat Ghumman`s 39,018 votes.

In a statement, PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Ms Warraich on her victory and thanked the people of Sialkotfor reposing trust in the party.

The PP-52 seat had fallen vacant after the demise of PML-N MPA Arshad Javed Warraich about two months ago.

Apparently for security reasons, the local administration had placed containersin front of the returning officer`s (RO) office a move lambasted by the PTI as well as the PPP, which also staged a sit-in in front of the RO`s office in Sambrial.

The local administration said the containers had been present outside the office since the start of the voting process and that the office wasn`t sealed after the polling.

PPP leader and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, while speaking to media persons in Sambrial, said that polling stations had been closed in several areas by the administration.

He said if results were changed, that would be unfortunate, adding that it would not be a good omen for the government. He said he wanted to bring the matter to the notice of the chief election commissioner, saying it was not tolerable that alleged rigging took place during the by-election.

Provincial Election Commissioner Sharifullah, in a statement, denied these allegations. He said the voting process continued in all 185 polling stations without any interruption till 5pm. He said that the eleetion commission would review any complaint regarding irregularities if it was provided in a proper way.

On the other hand, PTI leader Usman Dar alleged that the PTI voters, supporters and polling agents were expelled from different polling stations by the police to favour the ruling party`s candidate. Responding to the PTI and PPP allegations, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said that the people of Punjab had expressed full confidence in Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the Sialkot by-poll held on Sunday.

In an apparent reference to the PPP, she said even the party that got 400 votes was complaining about rigging. In a jibe at the PTI, she said that those who use words like `deals and NRO as weapons` were now seeking deals themselves.In a presser in Islamabad, the PTI accused the Punjab government and police of interfering in the by-poll, claiming that its polling agents were expelled from the polling stations. The former ruling party also claimed to have `video evidence of the rigging`.

PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqqas Akram said that the byelection was rigged because the Punjab government was aware that it would not be able to win without manipulating the polling. He claimed that there were a large number of people in rallies and public meetings, due to which the Punjab government was sure that it stood no chance in the by-election.

`To win the election, PTI polling agents were forcefullyremoved from the polling stations, and then ballot papers were stamped and polled.

Workers of the PML-N were allowed to remain in the polling stations, while our polling agents were told to leave. We have video evidence of all that,` he claimed.

Sheikh Waqqas alleged that police officials were openly supporting the PML-N workers and threatening the PTI workers.

He alleged that workers of PTI, who refused to leave, were beaten and thrown out of polling stations. He claimed that the helpline of the Election Commission of Pakistan had become inaccessible during the polling.

Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad also contributed to this report