GUJRANWALA, Nov 21: Ruling party candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Nasir Cheema, brother of former MPA Chaudhry Azam Cheema, won the PP-97 byelection here on Monday. According to unofficial result, Cheema got 27,542 votes while his rival Dr Ghulam Sarwar, brother-in-law of former MPA Mian Mazhar Javid, 19,867 and ARD’s Chaudhry Fazar Abbas Cheema 5,187 votes.

The losers accused the ruling party of vote fraud.

Earlier, the polling started in a tense situation and many people, including two police officials, were injured in a clash between former MPA Mian Mazhar Javed and ARD MNA Imtiaz Safdar Warraich groups in Ladheywala Warraich.

Reports said Mazhar Javed also hit a police van by his vehicle when the police came there to avert a clash.

As a result SHO Haji Muzammal and ASI Umer Hayat sustained injuries. District council member Sultan Warraich’s father Ashraf Warraich and some other people were also injured in the clash.

DPO Dr Arif Mushtaq reached the spot and got registered an FIR against Mahzar Javed and his men, including Khalid, Shafiq and Nadeem. Two of his supporters were also arrested.

Later, MNA Imtiaz Safdar Warraich’s group attacked the office of independent candidate Dr Ghulam Sarwar and removed his banners.

However, the election commissioner and other senior officers reached the spot and warned that violence or rigging would not be allowed at any cost.