SWABI/HARIPUR: Asad Qaiser, the former speaker of National Assembly and central leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, has rejected the results of by-elections.

In a statement issued here on Monday, he termed the voting process fraudulent and ridden by rigging, saying it was a flagrant violation of constitutional rules for conducting polls in the country.

Unofficial results show that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has clean swept the by-elections for six seats of National Assembly and seven seats of Punjab Assembly.

Mr Qaiser alleged that handling of NA-18 Haripur by elections by Election Commission of Pakistan reflected ‘open rigging’ and once again exposed its ‘dark face’ to the nation.

Demands formation of ‘independent’ ECP to restore trust of people

He said that according to Form-45 results, PTI candidate Sheher Naz Umar Ayub Khan was leading with a clear margin of 27,000 votes, but ECP undermined public mandate, raising serious questions over the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.

The PTI leader said that ECP failed on both administrative and operational fronts.

“If such conduct represents the standard of elections, it would have been better to issue direct notifications rather than misleading people,” he added.

He said that PTI formally boycotted by-elections on the directives of its founder Imran Khan.

He said that reports indicated that turnout in by-polls remained between 15 and 18 per cent. More than 80 per cent of citizens rejected the polls and opted to stay home, he added.

He demanded that ‘non-transparent results’ of by-polls should be annulled immediately. “The fundamental purpose of elections is to allow citizens to freely choose their leadership. Unfortunately, the present government and its subordinate ECP have failed to provide such an environment,” he alleged.

The PTI leader called for formation of a new, independent and credible ECP to restore trust of people.

In Haripur, PTI workers staged a protest against what they called changing their candidate’s success into defeat through Form-47 in the by-elections in NA-18 constituency.

PTI workers from different areas gathered outside the office of Omar Ayub Khan and suspended traffic on GT Road. They were addressed by Omar Ayub, Provincial Minister Arshad Ayub Khan and MPA Akbar Ayub Khan.

The speakers announced to move court and take to street against results of by-polls. “returning officer stole our elections” they alleged.

Akbar Ayub said that they did want such officers in the district. He said that he would not allow PML-N’s MNA-elect to lay natural gas pipelines. “We do not need such assemblies and demand fresh elections in the country,” he added.

Yusuf Ayub Khan in his speech said that PTI would prove it through court battle that its mandate was stolen.

Protesters were dispersed peacefully when the leaders announced that they would announce protest strategy and inform them accordingly after consultation.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2025