PML-N leader loses after recounting

‘Thanks Giving Day’: Burqa-clad female supporters of Pakistani Prime Minister-elect and head of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif offer sweets to each other as they observe the “thanks giving day” on the victory of their party in landmark general elections, in Peshawar yesterday. Partial official results confirm PML-N on 123 seats, with the outgoing Pakistan People’s Party on 31 and PTI on 26. Another 18 of the 272 directly elected seats in the national assembly are still to be declared.

The Pakistan Muslim League-N’s last stronghold in Taxila, PP-7, has also fallen to the Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf during the re-counting of votes in six different polling stations yesterday.

The PML-N stalwart, Nisar Ali Khan, has now lost the seat to PTI’s candidate Sadeeq Khan by 774 votes, and all three seats - one National Assembly seat and two Provincial Assembly seats - have been won by the PTI.

Earlier, Nisar had been declared successful with a margin of 516 votes, but on Sadeeq Khan’s request, the returning officer recounted votes from six polling stations.

The recounting of votes cast in polling stations number 9, 47, 48, 50, 64 and 82 was carried out in the presence of candidates and the media teams, and several flaws were observed in the finalisation of results.

This decision has resulted in the PML-N’s elimination from the area.

On polling day, the PTI had already captured NA-53 by defeating Nisar. Former MPA Umer Farooq also lost to PTI candidate Taimoor Masood in Wah Cantonment PP-8.

Taimoor had never been in power, and the defeat of a seasoned politician by a novice caused serious dents in the PML-N stronghold.

Talking to newsmen soon after the decision, Sadeeq Khan termed it the victory of the masses.

He said his group was confident of its victory and therefore demanded a recount of votes at six polling stations.