LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) extended its lead against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf as counting of votes continued in the closely contested by-elections in Nawaz Sharif’s former constituency NA-120.
Polling for the by-election in NA-120 concluded at 5pm on Sunday in the constituency’s 220 polling stations.
NA-120 RESULTS:
Results from polling stations in NA-120 have started pouring in. The below graph shows unofficial and unverified results from the constituency. This graph will be updated as results from polling stations are made available to the media.
Earlier, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique called for an extension in polling time, claiming a number of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) voters are present outside polling stations and not being let into cast their vote.
The PML-N cited high security, traffic and Sunday being a holiday as reasons for many people not being able to cast their votes on time.
However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) urged the authorities not to extend the polling time.
The media reported that a number of voters are present outside polling stations.
The by-election, which began at 8am and largely remained without incident, is being seen as a major test for the ruling PML-N after Sharif’s disqualification as the prime minister.
PML-N fielded Kulsoom Nawaz for the contest who is faced by Dr Yasmin Rashid of PTI and Faisal Mir of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), among others.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) printed 350,000 ballot papers for the constituency’s 321,786 registered voters.
All polling stations in the constituency were declared sensitive, with police, rangers and army personnel providing security.