PP-52 by-election: Vote counting underway amid PTI, PPP rigging claims

SIALKOT: A by-election was held on the Punjab Assembly seat PP-52, where the counting of votes and the release of unofficial, unverified results are underway after the completion of polling.

According to details, the voting took place from 8 am to 5 pm without any major incident. However, the polling was stopped for ten minutes by the Election Commissioner.

The counting process began after the stipulated voting time ended and unofficial results are being compiled.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have alleged election rigging and claimed that their polling agents and voters were tortured and thrown out of several polling stations.

PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf said that there were reports of polling being stopped as soon as voters arrived, with officials throwing agents and voters out of the rooms. PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram also echoed similar allegations.

On the other hand, PML-N leader and senior provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb rejected the allegations and said that PTI has once again resorted to its old blame game. She said that when there is no performance, people do not vote.

The Election Commission also rejected the claims of rigging and sought evidence, assuring that if evidence is provided, action will be taken by the provincial election commissioner.

A tough contest is expected between PML-N candidate Hina Warraich and PTI’s Fakhar Ghuman, while PPP’s Raheel Kamran Cheema and TLP’s Chaudhry Shafqat are also in the race.

A total of 296,563 voters are registered in the constituency, in which 185 polling stations have been set up, out of which 11 have been declared highly sensitive.

The seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N MPA Chaudhry Arshad Warraich.