FARUKH SHEHZAD

Imran’s PTI captures 15 seats while PML-N manages a mere 4; Maryam Nawaz says party should “graciously accept defeat”.

LAHORE, JUL 18: The celebrations in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) camp are in full swing as unofficial results in the by-election on 20 constituencies of Punjab, show PTI under the leadership of former prime minister Imran Khan swept the by-elections with the vote of the people of province.

According to the preliminary, unofficial results, the former PM-led PTI bagged 15 seats, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) could only secure four seats. One independent candidate also secured victory.

The polling began at 8am and continued till 5pm but in several districts polling was stopped due to clashes.It is pertinent to mention that the 20 seats fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) “de-seated” 25 PTI dissident lawmakers on May 23 for voting against PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz in the Punjab chief minister’s election. Which included five lawmakers elected on reserved seats for women and minorities.

By-elections were held in 20 constituencies of Punjab Assembly including PP-7 Rawalpindi, PP-83 Khushab, PP-90 Bhakkar, PP-97 Faisalabad; PP-125, PP-127 Jhang, PP-140 Sheikhupura,PP-158, 167,168,170 Lahore;PP-167, Lahore, PP-202 Sahiwa,; PP-217 Multan, PP-224 Lodhran, PP-228 Lodhran, PP-237 Bahawalnagar, PP-272,273 Muzaffargarh,PP-282 Layyah and PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan.

A total of 4.57 million registered voters, including 2.46 million women, were eligible to cast ballot in the by-polls. As many as 3140 polling stations, including 731 male, 700 female and 1700 combined polling stations had been established across the 20 constituencies.

A total of 9,562 polling booths had been set up for the by-polls. The ECP had declared 1204 polling stations sensitive and 696 highly sensitive.

Polling stations from Lahore and Multan had also been declared sensitive. Provincial Election Commissioner Saeed Gul had said that the Election Commission was completely neutral and there was no truth in the allegations, they were working according to the Constitution and the law.

Unofficial Results 

PP-7 Rawalpindi

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Raja Sagheer Ahmad secured victory by obtaining 68,906 votes while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Col M Shabbir Awan bagged 68-857 votes to remain second.

PP-83 Khushab

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Hassan Aslam Malik secured victoty by securing 48,475 votes while Independent candidate Asif Malik Bha could bag 41,752 votes.

PP-90 Bhakkar

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Irfan Ullah Niazi won by obtaining 68,982 vote, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Saeed Akbar Nawani who could secure 59,856 votes.

PP-97 Faisalabad

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Ali Afzal Sahi secured victory by securing 66,672 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Ajmal Cheema obtained 54,077 votes.

PP-125 Jhang

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mian Azam Chela won by obtaining 82,382 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Faisyal Hayat Jabboana secured 52,178 vote.

PP-127 Jhang

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mehar Nawaz Bharwana won by obtaining 69,986 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Mehar Aslam Bharwana secured 46,825 vote.

PP-140 Sheikhupura

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Khurram Shahzad Virk won by obtaining 49,734 vote, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Mian Khalid Mehmood secured 6,546 votes. 

PP-158 Lahore

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mian Akram Usman secured victory by securing 37,463 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Rana Ahsan Sharafat obtained 31,906 votes.

PP-167 Lahore

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Shabbir Ahmed Gujjar won by securing 40,206 votes followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Nazir Ahmed Chohan who has obtained 26,535 vote.

PP-168 Lahore

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Asad Khokhar secured victory by obtaining 26,174 votes, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Nawaz Awan secured 15,719 votes.

PP-170 Lahore

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Malik Zaheer Abbas secured victory by securing 23,969 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Amin Zulqarnain has obtained 14,916 votes.

PP-202 Sahiwal

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Ghulam Sarwar secured victory by securing  61,989 votes folowed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Nauman Langrial could obtained 59,167 vote.

PP-217 Multan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Makhdoom Zain Qureshi has secured victory by securing 46,427 votes while his opponent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Salman Naeem could only secure 40,285.

PP-224 Lodhran

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Amir Iqbal Shah secured victory by obtaining 69,625 votes, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Zawar Hussain Warraich secured 55,748 votes.

PP-228 Lodhran

Independent candidate Rafi Ud Din Bukhari won obtaining 42,719 votes, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Izzat Javaid who could secure 34,635 votes.

PP-237 Bahawalnagar

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Fida Hussain Wattoo won the election by obtaining 61,248 vote while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Syed Aftab Raza could obtain 25,227 votes. 

PP-272 Muzaffargarh

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Moazzam Ali Jatoi secured vitory by securing 49,823 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Zehra Basit Bukhari obtained 42,995 vote.

PP-273 Muzaffargarh

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Sibtain Raza won by obtaining 52,631 while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidateYasir Arfat jatoi could only secured 46,903.

PP-282 Layyah

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Qasier Abbas Magsi won by getting 43,922 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Tahir Randhawa obtained 29,715 vote.

PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Saifuddin Khosa secured victory by obtaining 56,857 vote while his opponent and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Abdul Qadir Khosa who has secured 33,254 votes.

LAHORE, JUL 17: – The counting of votes is underway after polling ended for the by-elections in 20 constituencies of Punjab. The polling began at 8am and continued till 5pm but in several districts polling was stopped due to clashes.

It is pertinent to mention that the 20 seats fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) “de-seated” 25 PTI dissident lawmakers on May 23 for voting against PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz in the Punjab chief minister’s election. Which included five lawmakers elected on reserved seats for women and minorities.

By-elections were held in 20 constituencies of Punjab Assembly including PP-7 Rawalpindi, PP-83 Khushab, PP-90 Bhakkar, PP-97 Faisalabad; PP-125, PP-127 Jhang, PP-140 Sheikhupura,PP-158, 167,168,170 Lahore;PP-167, Lahore, PP-202 Sahiwa,; PP-217 Multan, PP-224 Lodhran, PP-228 Lodhran, PP-237 Bahawalnagar, PP-272,273 Muzaffargarh,PP-282 Layyah and PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan.

A total of 4.57 million registered voters, including 2.46 million women, were eligible to cast ballot in the by-polls. As many as 3140 polling stations, including 731 male, 700 female and 1700 combined polling stations had been established across the 20 constituencies.

A total of 9,562 polling booths had been set up for the by-polls. The ECP had declared 1204 polling stations sensitive and 696 highly sensitive.

Polling stations from Lahore and Multan had also been declared sensitive. Provincial Election Commissioner Saeed Gul had said that the Election Commission was completely neutral and there was no truth in the allegations, they were working according to the Constitution and the law.

Punjab Assembly number game

The Punjab Assembly has a total of 371 members, of which 20 seats are vacant at the moment, bringing the total number of MPAs in the Punjab Assembly down to 351.

The PML-N has 163 members. On the other side is the Opposition, therefore the PTI, which is 163 MPAs strong at the moment.

In the house, there are five independents, of which Chaudhry Nisar, the former interior minister, is unlikely to vote. While the PPP has 7 MPAs, PML-Q has 10, and the Rah-e-Haq party has one.

As per the rules of the Punjab Assembly, the chief minister is elected with a simple majority, therefore 186 votes out of the 371-seat assembly.

Unofficial Results 

PP-7 Rawalpindi

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Col M Shabbir Awan is leading the vote count by securing 556 votes followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Raja Saghir Ahmad who has obtained 470 vote.

PP-83 Khushab

Independent candidate Asif Malik Bha is leading the vote count by obtaining 598 vote, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Ghulam Sarwar who has secured 384 votes.

PP-90 Bhakkar

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Saeed Akbar Nawani is leading the vote count by obtaining 4458 vote, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Irfan Ullah Niazi who has secured 3963 votes.

PP-97 Faisalabad

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Ali Afzal Sahi is leading the vote count by securing 1063 votes followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Ajmal Cheema who has obtained 746 vote.

PP-125 Jhang

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mian Azam Chela is leading the vote count by securing 334 votes followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Faisal Hayat Jabboana who has obtained 103 vote.

PP-127 Jhang

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Mehar Aslam Bharwana is leading the vote count by obtaining 2705 vote, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mehar Nawaz Bharwana who has secured 2356 votes.

Result awaited

PP-158 Lahore

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mian Akram Usman is leading the vote count by securing 135 votes followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Rana Ahsan Sharafat who has obtained 57 vote.

PP-167 Lahore

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Nazir Ahmed Chuhan is leading the vote count by obtaining 257 vote, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Shabbir Ahmed Awan who has secured 246 votes.

PP-168 Lahore

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Asad Khokhar is leading the vote count by obtaining 1004 vote, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Nawaz Awan who has secured 40 votes.

PP-170 Lahore

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Malik Zaheer Abbas is leading the vote count by securing 234 votes followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Amin Zulqarnain who has obtained 95 vote.

PP-202 Sahiwal

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Nauman Langrial is leading the vote count by obtaining 4421 vote, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Ghulam Sarwar who has secured 3812 votes.

PP-217 Multan

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Salman Naeem is leading the vote count by obtaining 4498 vote, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Makhdoom Zain Qureshi who has secured 3344 votes.

PP-224 Lodhran

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Zawar Hussain Warraich is leading the vote count by obtaining 3639 vote, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Amir Iqbal Shah who has secured 3072 votes.

PP-228 Lodhran

Result awaited

PP-237 Bahawalnagar

Result awaited

PP-272 Muzaffargarh

Result awaited

PP-273 Muzaffargarh

Result awaited

PP-282 Layyah

Result awaited

PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Saifuddin Khosa is leading the vote count by obtaining 2034 vote, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Abdul Qadir Khosa who has secured 1762 votes.

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COURTESY DUNYA NEWS

Constituencies

By-elections will be held in 20 constituencies of Punjab Assembly including PP-7 Rawalpindi, PP-83 Khushab, PP-90 Bhakkar, PP-97 Faisalabad; PP-125, PP-127 Jhang, PP-140 Sheikhupura,PP-158, 167,168,170 Lahore;PP-167, Lahore, PP-202 Sahiwa,; PP-217 Multan, PP-224 Lodhran, PP-228 Lodhran, PP-237 Bahawalnagar, PP-272,273 Muzaffargarh,PP-282 Layyah and PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan.

Political pundits are expecting a tough contest between PML-N and PTI in the by-polls as a majority of the 20 defecting PTI MPAs have hitched their wagons to the PML-N.

The PTI and the PML-N have around the same number of seats in the Punjab Assembly, but if either of the parties takes a major lead in the by-polls, it can form the next government easily as the elections for the chief minister are also slated for July 22.

ECP preparations

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COURTESY DUNYA NEWS

ISLAMABAD, JUL 16: PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday distanced himself from restraints put on media freedom during his government, saying that any journalists picked up by the authorities were not on his directives.

Addressing a seminar on media freedom in Islamabad, he said: “[When I was the prime minister] it was discussed in the cabinet three to four times that some journalist was picked up. [I would like to say that] no journalist was picked up on my instructions. The problem was something else.”

The former prime minister said that the issue of abductions and missing persons came up after the war on terror, something which he said he had spoken against often.

“Until I came into power, I didn’t know the army’s perspective [on the issue] and so I kept speaking against it,” Imran recalled, adding that there was a no greater pain than than seeing the relatives of missing persons coming to ask about their loved ones.

“We came in the government and got to know that many times people were picked up under [the guise of] national security.”

Imran said he had taken up the issue with Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, which led to the release of many missing persons.

“They (military leaders) said the problem was of the courts,” he said, adding that the explanation provided to him was that it was difficult to prosecute a terrorist in the courts due to a lack of evidence or witnesses.

“Terrorism is such a thing that it became difficult to prove it in the courts and the army feared that if they (terrorists) are released they would again conduct [terrorist] activities.”

Nonetheless, he said, an agreement was reached and a bill was about to be passed for missing persons so that at least relatives could be kept in the loop.

Imran said Pakistan stood at a decisive juncture where it was very important for the correct decisions to be made.

The PTI leader rued that a balance had not been achieved in civil-military relations in Pakistan

He said democracy depended on moral strength, instead of physical strength that belonged to the army.

“Because of no balance, a situation has developed that establishment isn’t realising [the consequences of] the actions it’s committing. We cant afford a weak army … we have to protect it. If distance between the army and the public keeps increasing — which it is — then it will eventually harm the army and Pakistan.”

Imran said the establishment should differentiate between constructive and damaging criticism.

The former prime minister said that any attempt by the establishment to take action against journalists would only harm it instead of providing any benefits.

He said information could not be stopped or controlled in the age of social media.

Imran said that it was a time to “reflect” whether the alleged decision to allow the vote of no-confidence against him to succeed was in Pakistan’s favour or not.

Referring to the military failures of Hitler and Napoleon against Russia, Imran said it was important for armed forces’ leaders to take U-turns. “Mistakes are made. It is better to realise the mistake and stop digging when you are in a hole,” he added.

The PTI chairman said free and fair elections were the only solution to the country’s current quagmire.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

JHANG, JUL 13 – Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that the July 17 by-elections will decide the future of Pakistan. 

On Tuesday, while addressing an election rally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at PP-282 in Layyah, the former PM had challanaged the rulers to reduce the prices of petroleum products to Rs150 per liter.  

He said that the Americans did not like his visit to Russia and a conspiracy was hatched when he returned to Pakistan. The US Embassy started calling our people, many of the turncoats of our party visited the US embassy and a conspiracy was hatched first and then our government was toppled.

Imran Khan said that the country was making progress when our government was overthrown because the US needed the rulers who obeys their orders.

“According to the Economic Survey, the highest growth has been witnessed in the last two years,” he said and added during the PTI government’s tenure exports increased and country received record remittances, whereas, the textile industry witnessed record production. We made laws and the farmers received money from the sugar mafia.

Earlier addressing a rally in Darya Khan area of Bhakkar, the former prime minister said on Tuesday while launching a tirade against political opponents said that no one will ever accept these thieves and American slaves.

He said, “We do not bow before anyone except almighty Allah and we only seek help from the Almighty.” Imran Khan said that he has been doing jihad against these goons, adding that the government of thieves has been imposed on us but we will never accept American slaves and thieves.

“I will never accept them even if I lose my life,” Imran Khan said and added he took to the streets to wage jihad against these thieves.

The PTI chairman said that the people of his party being threatened on phone calls. They are being threatened to be put in jails.

The former PM asked the youth to defeat the turncoats in the by-elections with door-to-door campaign.

Calling out Maryam Nawaz, Imran Khan said that the “Princess of lies” is running campaign of thieves. She [Maryam Nawaz] used to say eight years ago that she neither has properties in London nor in Pakistan but Panama Papers revealed she has four palaces.

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COURTESY DUNYA NEWS

BAKU, JUL 13: Since the beginning of this year, the total passenger traffic of Azerbaijan’s international airports has exceeded 2 million people. Only in June this year, 530,000 passengers were served at the airports, which is 96% of the pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

The base air carriers of the Baku airport – AZAL and Buta Airways – have carried 618,000 and 201,000 passengers, respectively, since the beginning of the year. Of these, 457 thousand are passengers of international flights, which is 36% of the total international traffic.

In June 2022, 24 foreign airlines operated regular flights to Baku airport. Also this month, “Salam Air” launched direct flights from Muscat to Baku.

The top ten most popular international destinations from Baku in June included Istanbul, Moscow, Dubai, Tbilisi, Antalya, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Ankara, Sharjah and Minsk.

Heydar Aliyev International Airport (IATA: GYD) is the largest airport in Azerbaijan and the region in terms of passenger and freight traffic, takeoff and landing operations, the airport terminal area and capacity of the cargo complex.

In 2021 the Heydar Aliyev International Airport was certified with the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating by international air transport rating agency Skytrax. This is the highest recognition of the effectiveness of COVID-19 measures instituted at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport to protect its passengers and employees from the spread of COVID-19.

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