LAHORE: The PML-N and the PakistanMarkaziMuslimLeague (PMML) on Monday exchanged barbs over the NA-77 Gujranwala by-election with the ruling party questioning how a proscribed organisation could change its name and openly engage in political activities while the latter accused the Punjab government of snatching the seat through rigging.
The PML-N won NA-77, Gujranwala, and Punjab Assembly constituency PP-203, Chichawatni, in by-elections held on Sunday.
According to unofficial results, PML-N candidate Rashid Bashir Virk secured 43,365 votes in NA-77, defeating his rival, Pakistan Markazi Muslim League’s Ibrahim Gujjar, who bagged 30,218 votes.
Major opposition parties, including the PTI, PPP andJamaat-i-1slami, did not field candidates. Voter turnout stood at 15.6 per cent. In PP-203, PML-N candidate Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt won with 41,912 votes, defeating his closest rival, Muhammad Awais Mahmood of Tehreek-i-Ehsas Pakistan, who secured 25,106votes.
In a statement on Monday, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari criticised the PMML, questioning how organisations declared proscribed by the state could change their names and openly participatein politicalactivities.
The PMML is widely described as an offshoot of Jamaatud Dawa, founded by Hafiz Saeed, who has been in jail since 2019 in connection with multiple terror-financing cases. The party, however, denies any links with JuD or other proscribed organisations.
Ms Bokhari termed the participation of such organisations in politics a major challenge to the state and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice. ‘How can organisations supported by terrorists openly engage in political activities?’ she questioned, referring to videos she had shared on polling day that purportedly showed workers of one such organisation forciblycasting bogus votes in the presence of election staff. She also questioned how the workers could indulgein rigginginfront ofelection commission officials, adding that despite several groups joining hands against the PML-N, voters had rejected them.
‘The narrative of violence and terrorism has lost, while the narrative of public service and performance has prevailed in Gujranwala and Chichawatni, she said, claiming that both PML-N candidates had won with comfortable margins, reflecting voters’ preference for the party because of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s service-oriented governance.
Interestingly, Minister of State for Interior Senator Talal Chaudhry recently visited the PMML office in Faisalabad, while Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan has also praised Hafiz Saeed.
On the other hand, the PMML rejected the NA-77 by-election results, alleging widespread riggingand violations ofthe election commission’s code of conduct. At a press conference, PMML Deputy Secretary General Khalid Naik Gujjar, Punjab President Dr Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi, central information secretary FaisalNadeem and Muslim Youth League President Tabish Q ayyum claimed that their candidate, Ibrahim Gujjar, had secured 25,377 votes across 283 polling stations, against 24,000 votes for PML-N candidate Rashid Bashir Virk, and had, therefore, won the seat.
‘Thousands of ballot papers were missing and used at other polling stations. Punjab Police were used for political campaigning in favour of the PML-N candidate and for pressuring voters, Mr Nadeem alleged.
He also alleged irregularities by election staff, including instances in which presiding officers had failed to obtain voters’ thumb impressions.
Responding to a video shared by Ms Bokhari, Mr Nadeem claimed that the individual shown in it was a presiding officer named Shahid, not a PMML worker. He said the party possessed an audio recording that could be submitted for forensic examination. The PMML demanded a recount in 50 polling stations and action against those involved in electoral irregularities. It also announced that it would pursue the matter before the election commission, courts and through public forums. Zulgernain Tahir