ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday notified all the victors of the recently held by-polls for national and provincial assembly seats, but withheld the notification of Bilal Badar Chaudhry, the brother of Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry who won from NA-96, Faisalabad.
Tallal Chaudhry and his brother face the charge of violation of the code of conduct. The ECP has notified PML-N’s Babar Nawaz Khan (NA-18), Daniyal Ahmed (NA-104, Faisalabad), Muhammad Nauman (NA-129, Lahore), Muhammad Tufail (NA-143, Sahiwal) and Mehmood Qadir Khan (NA-185, Dera Ghazi Khan).
Against seven provincial assembly seats, all from Punjab, the ECP notified PML-N’s Mian Sultan Ali Ranjha (PP-73, Sargodha), Ali Haider Noor Khan Niazi (PP-87, Mianwali), Azad Ali Tabassum (PP-98, Faisalabad), Muhammad Tahir Pervaiz (PP-115, Faisalabad), Ahmad Sheheryar (PP-116, Faisalabad), Muhammad Hanif (PP-203, Sahiwal) and Pakistan Peoples Party’s Mian Alamdar Abbas Qureshi (PP-269, Muzaffargarh).
Most of these seats had fallen vacant due to the disqualification of PTI lawmakers convicted in cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.
The PTI officially boycotted the by-elections in all constituencies, except Lahore and Haripur, while the PML-N fielded its candidates on all seats except in Muzaffargarh, and the PPP contested on two NA and one Punjab seat.
The ECP also shared constituency-wise voter turnout data. The overall turnout for the by-elections was recorded at 28.58 per cent, indicating erosion of public trust in the electoral process. Among National Assembly seats, NA-18, Haripur, had the highest turnout at 42.09pc, followed by NA-185, D.G. Khan at 32.61pc; NA-96 Faisalabad, saw a 26.46 pc turnout, while NA-143, Sahiwal, recorded 21.43pc turnout. The NA-129, Lahore, had a turnout of 18.67pc, and NA-104, Faisalabad, reported the lowest turnout of 13.23pc.
Turnout on provincial assembly seats showed significant variation. The PP-269, Muzaffargarh, recorded the highest turnout of 50.82pc. PP-98, Faisalabad, saw 36.82 pc, while PP-73, Sargodha, recorded 34.45pc. In PP-87, Mianwali, the turnout was 27pc, followed by PP-116 Faisalabad, with 22.94 pc. The PP-203, Sahiwal, witnessed a turnout of 22.4 pc.
Meanwhile, the ECP has summoned Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry and his brother Bilal Chaudhry on Dec 2 in a case relating to violation of code of conduct in NA-96, Faisalabad.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Huzaifa Rehman and Mehmood Qadir Khan, PML-N candidate from NA-185 (D.G. Khan) have also been summoned on the same date over the same charge.
Notices have also been issued to KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI candidate from NA-18, Haripur, to appear on Dec 4. The KP chief minister faces the charge of code of conduct violation by addressing a rally in Abbottabad where no elections took place.
Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2025