LAHORE: Amid a low voter turnout within the by-election in NA-148 Multan on Sunday, the PPP’s Syed Ali Qasim Gilani is prone to win towards Barrister Taimur Altaf Mahay who contested the by-poll from the platform of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
In response to preliminary outcomes, Ali Qasim Gilani, the son of former prime minister and present Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, had a lead over Barrister Taimur when this report was filed. A complete of seven candidates participated within the by-poll.
In response to unofficial outcomes of 200 polling stations, Gilani had taken a transparent lead with 61,393 votes over Barrister Taimur’s 38,191. The results of 75 polling stations was but to be introduced on the time of submitting of this report. Nonetheless, the Gilanis began celebrating their victory.
The specialists shifted the blame of disappointing turnout to scorching warmth and excessive temperature because the candidates struggled to deliver the voters out of their houses to forged their votes although it was weekend. The utmost temperature in Multan was 44 on the polling day, in line with the Met Workplace. On the polling stations, the individuals had been seen looking for the shadow to flee from warmth and the employees of the each events had been providing chilly water to their voters. The Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP) didn’t organize water for the voters on the polling stations.
Ali Qasim Gilani’s win is probably going; Barrister Taimur cries rigging
The polling course of remained peaceable however some specialists have termed the present political setup and situations within the nation for inflicting disillusionment among the many public who misplaced curiosity within the voting course of.
The by-election within the constituency was introduced after the seat was vacated by Yusuf Raza Gilani as he was elected to move the Senate. The ECP arrange 275 polling stations the place the voters exercised their proper to vote. The constituency consists of rural and concrete areas however the rural areas are dominant over the city areas. The PTI/SIC has extra vote financial institution within the city areas, that are much less in quantity in comparison with the agricultural areas the place the PPP has a maintain.
If Ali Qasim Gilani wins this election, three sons of Yusuf Gilani could be MNAs within the present authorities whereas one is an MPA. The previous PM himself is the Senate chairman.
The polling started at 8am and continued till 5pm. The by-election was typically peaceable, with no disagreeable incidents reported.
When the outcomes began coming, Barrister Taimur Altaf was stopped by the administration from getting into the central election workplace arrange on the Multan Public College and he held a sit-in on the street along with his supporters in response to the officers’ motion.
Chatting with the media, the PTI chief and SIC candidate alleged that the excesses by the administration was proof of rigging. He stated that similar to the overall election, the by-election was rigged and vowed to problem it earlier than the court docket.
Alternatively, Syed Ali Qasim Gilani thanked the individuals of the constituency and the administration for the peaceable election course of.
Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Rizwan Qadeer stated that no untoward incident occurred throughout the entire polling course of. He stated the outcomes of polling stations had been despatched to the primary election workplace on time to make sure transparency and they’d even be uploaded on the ECP web site. He stated that he had personally monitored the election course of at totally different polling stations and all of the preparations had been up to speed.
Printed in Daybreak, Might twentieth, 2024