CHAKWAL: PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said the Oct 14 by-election was the first transparent by-poll in Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference in Talagang on Monday with his son Chaudhry Salik Hussain, he thanked the people of NA-65, Chakwal II for electing Chaudhry Salik as MNA.

Backed by the PTI, Chaudhry Salik Hussain got elected to the National Assembly for the first time in the by-poll. The seat was vacated by his uncle Chaudhry Pervez Elahi who chose a Punjab Assembly seat for becoming speaker.

Chaudhry Shujaat promised his party will do its best for NA-65.

He said his party will not be involved in the ‘political conspiracies’ of the Sharif brothers and added that Shahbaz Sharif will not be able to sail through the Model Town case.

“PML-N wants to save Shahbaz Sharif but it will not be able to because this is the only case in which his escape is impossible,” he said.

Chaudhry Shujaat said it will take PTI some time to fix problems.

“Imran Khan has not said he will construct five million houses in the first 100 days but he said that these houses will be built in five years. Give us some time and things will settle down,” he said.

The newly elected MNA, Chaudhry Salik Hussain thanked the voters of NA-65 and vowed to work day and night for the people of his constituency.

The election was peaceful but had a low turnout as the PML-N did not take part after its candidate, Sardar Faiz Tamman, withdrew his candidacy.

As many as 553,289 voters are registered in the constituency including 287,154 men and 266,135 women but only 136,965 voters including 76,577 men and 60,388 women polled on Oct 14 making for a 24.75pc turnout.

Chaudhry Salik Hussain got 100,917 votes while Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s Mohammad Yaqub got 32,326 votes and Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party’s Mohammad Amir got 1,745.

During the last general elections, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi got 157,000 votes, the highest number ever secured by a candidate in the history of the constituency.

Due to the alliance, the PTI did not field its own candidate and like in the last general elections, it supported the PML-Q’s candidate.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018