PESHAWAR: A Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-backed independent candidate, Khurram Zeeshan, was elected on a vacant Senate general seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a by-poll here on Thursday.

The seat had fallen vacant last August following the disqualification of the then Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shibli Faraz, also from the ruling PTI, due to his conviction in anti-terrorism cases.

The election took place at the Jirga Hall of the KP Assembly.

“I, the returning officer for election to Senate from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, hereby certify that I have, on the October 30, 2025 declared Mr Khurram Zeeshan to have been duly elected to be member of Senate of Pakistan and in that token thereof I have granted to him this certificate of election,” read the Form 58 issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

CM says victory shows PTI leaders, workers stand firm with Imran

According to Form 46, a total of 136 votes were polled in the by-poll, with Mr Zeeshan securing 91 votes and opposition-backed independent candidate Taj Mohammad Afridi 45.

Irfan Saleem, the covering candidate for Mr Zeeshan, did not poll any vote.

In a statement issued here, KP Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi felicitated Mr Zeeshan on his election and said that it was a reaffirmation of public confidence in Imran Khan’s ideology and the politics of integrity.

He said that the election victory represented the triumph of truth, integrity and the people’s trust, as well as a vindication of Imran Khan’s vision.

“The by-poll success demonstrates the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s commitment to voting according to conscience and upholding the principles of justice and transparency,” he said.

Mr Afridi said that the PTI’s victory was a sign of renewed hope for a better national future and clear evidence that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have unwavering confidence in Imran Khan’s leadership.

He added that the electoral win marked another step forward in the ongoing movement for genuine freedom, constitutional supremacy, rule of law, independence of the judiciary and media, and the pursuit of justice and dignity.

“This movement is continuing with full spirit and determination to achieve its objectives.”

The chief minister said that Imran Khan’s vision, based on justice, self-respect and national pride, embodied the dream of a strong and sovereign Pakistan.

He said the PTI’s struggle was dedicated to ensuring the rights of the people, establishing transparent governance and creating a corruption-free society.

Earlier, Mr Afridi told reporters on the assembly’s premises that not a single PTI member slipped in both his and Senate elections, showing that PTI leaders and workers stood firm with Imran Khan.

He said that it was good governance of the PTI government in the province that the party came to power for the third time.

The chief minister said the Pak-Afghan talks were a good development but he had reservations about the exclusion of the KP government, the largest stakeholder in the issue, from the exercise.

He said that the KP government and people should be taken on board before any decision was made about the province.

“Decisions about KP should not be made behind closed doors as the province is not some laboratory to experiment,” he said.

Meanwhile, former chief minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur told reporters that his party PTI had so far not given a call for street protests in November.

He said “thousands” of party workers besides senior leadership faced cases in connection with last year’s protests.

“Such tactics created a distance between the state and the people,” he said.

Mr Gandapur said currently, there was no rule of law and human rights in the country, while the courts, too, had no role.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2025