Imran Khan’s PTI suffers bypoll setback
opposition PML-N party put up a tough fight against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in by-elections to federal and provincial assembly seats, registering some surprise wins in Punjab province.
Most seats where by-elections were held had been vacated by politicians elected on more than one seat in the July 25 general election, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, who won all five constituencies he had contested.
The ruling party led by Prime Minister Imran Khan maintained its slim majority in Parliament after the by-elections held on Sunday, with final results on Monday showing the PTI had won 15 of the total 36 seats for which polls were held. PTI’s ally, the PML-Q, won two seats, bringing the coalition’s total in the National Assembly to 177 out of 342.
The main opposition PML-N increased its seat count in the lower house of Parliament to 85. The outcome is expected to reinvigorate the opposition parties.
According to unofficial results from more than 90% of polling stations, the PTI faced a setback by losing two of four National Assembly seats vacated by Khan to the right-wing Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and the PML-N. Besides, the PTI was also losing its Punjab Assembly seat that had been vacated by federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry.
The results showed the PTI and PML-N won four seats each out of 11 National Assembly seats. The PML-Q managed to retain its two seats in Punjab province, while the MMA improved its strength in the lower house by winning a seat in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
The PML-N not only retained its two parliamentary seats, it managed to snatch two seats from the PTI after tough contests at Lahore and Attock in the Punjab.
ISLAMABAD:The