MULTAN, Jan 15: Byelections in two national and three provincial assembly constituencies of southern Punjab remained peaceful on Wednesday.
No untoward incident was reported till the end of polling in NA-163, NA-187, PP-200, PP-245 and PP-266.
National Assembly constituency 163 and PP-245 were vacated by former president and National Alliance leader Farooq Leghari who took oath on NA-172. PPP stalwart Aitzaz Ahsan, who had also returned to the National Assembly from Lahore, vacated NA-187. Minister of State Haji Sikandar Hayat Bosan retained NA-151 and vacated PP-200.
MMA’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, Chaudhry Asghar Gujjar, had vacated PP-266 and retained PP-264.
Earlier, Ghazali Raheem Patafi of the Millat Party and Daraya Khan Fayyaz of the PML-Q had been elected unopposed from PP-247 and PP-295 vacated by Federal Information Technology Minister Awais Leghari and Punjab chief minister’s adviser on agriculture MNA Jehangir Tareen, respectively.
In Gujranwala, polling for PP-103 started at 9am, but the turnout was very low in the morning due to fog and cold.
There were seven aspirants for this seat, but the actual contest was among PML-Q and PML-C and PPP candidates.
The PML-Q had allotted ticket to ex-MPA Haji Shaukat Hayat Chattha, PML-C to Chaudhry Akmal Saif Chattha and PPP to ex-MPA Chaudhry Muhammad Arif Chattha.
The seat was vacated by Hamid Nasir Chattha when he took oath as MNA.
In Dera Ghazi Khan, low turnout was also witnessed in PP-245.
District Nazim Jamal Khan Leghari along with his brother federal minister Awais Khan Leghari spent most of the time in the tribal area. Their rival and uncle, Maqsood Leghari, also remained there reportedly to check rigging.
Husain Leghari, the son of Maqsood Leghari, contested as an independent candidate against MP’s Mohsin Khan Leghari, PPP’s Saifullah Sadozai and Saeed Buzdar (independent).
In Gujrat, no rush of voters was witnessed at any polling station in PP-110 (Kunjah) on Wednesday. The polling was held in a peaceful manner and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the constituency.
According to official sources, the turnout of voters remained below 10 per cent.
In Bahawalpur, polling for the byelection on NA-187 (Bahawalpur V) was held at 226 polling stations on Wednesday.
According to reports, the turnout of voters remained between 20 to 30 per cent.
Police sources claimed that the polling throughout the constituency was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported.
In Kasur, three men and equal number of women were held while attempting to cast fake votes in the byelection for National Assembly constituency 142 (Kasur V).
Khalid Husain, Muhammad Saleem and Yasin were caught by the presiding officer of Jamban Khurd polling station who handed them over to area police.
The presiding officer of Thathi Autar polling station handed over to Phoolnagar police Kulsoom Bibi, Sughran Bibi and Sharifan Bibi.