ISLAMABAD: The by-election in PP-52, Sialkot-IX, was marked by a slight decrease in voter turnout and a reduction in the number of invalid votes compared to the general elections 2024 amidst isolated procedural irregularities, including the disruption of counting process by police officials at a polling station.

Despite a decline in turnout – from 50 per cent to 45pc – the margin of victory increased significantly, from 8,535 votes in 2024 to 39,684 in the by-election, reveals an analysis by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen). According to Form-47, the PML-N’s vote share rose from 41pc in 2024 to 59pc in the recent by-election.

The runner-up independent candidate, backed by PTI, saw his vote share decline from 35pc to 29pc. Although the general environment around polling stations remained largely peaceful on polling day, Fafen observers documented persistent instances of illegal campaigning near polling stations, as well as isolated violations of voter identification, ballot processing, and counting procedures.

In a particularly serious incident, a police contingent entered the premises of Polling Station No. 169, Government Boys Elementary School Kotli Noonan (Combined) in the Kot Bulanda and Kot Bhagat electoral areas when the count of ballots was underway.

They removed the party agents and observers present in the counting hall and took the election materials and polling staff away with them without waiting for the process to be completed. Fafen was unable to obtain a copy of result from the polling station.

During last year’s general elections, independent candidate Fakhir Nishat Ghumman had secured 461 votes from the polling station followed by 360 votes by the-then PML-N candidate Arshad Javed Warraich, and 90 votes by TLP candidate Muhammad Shafaqat. The polling station had reported a turnout of 58.7pc.

A total of 1,758 voters were registered for by-election on this polling station. Chaudhry Arshad Javed Warraich of PML-N had won the seat with a margin of 8,535 votes in 2024. The by-election was necessitated by his demise. While voter turnout in the by-polls was lower than 2024, it was slightly higher than the turnout recorded in the recent NA-213 Umerkot by-election held in April 2025.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2025