RAWALPINDI: PML-N candidate Malik Shakeel Awan defeated the Rawalpindi heavyweight and chief of the Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid by a big margin in the NA-55 by-polls held here on Wednesday.

The margin of victory was beyond expectations as political pundits, experts, analysts and the people had expected a close finish. According to unofficial results, of the total 250 polling stations, Shakeel Awan secured 77,309 votes while his closest rival Sheikh Rashid got 48,222 from 235 constituencies. Dr Mohammad Kamal remained in the third place by securing 7,524 votes followed by PTI candidate Ejaz Khan Jazi, who could muster only 4,000 votes. Sheikh Rashid failed to win despite being backed by the PML-Q and the PPP tacitly.

The winner, Shakeel Awan, thanked the people for reposing confidence in him and making him victorious against a seasoned politician like Sheikh Rashid. During his election campaign, the AML chief had been telling people to vote for the real representative of NA-55.

“The people have now chosen me as the real representativeof NA-55. I would make it a model constituency,” he said. Sheikh Rashid has won from this constituency six times but was defeated in the February 2008 elections. Had he not been backed by the PPP and the Q-League this time, he would have polled still fewer votes. Shakeel Awan says he would have defeated Sheikh Rashid by a margin of 100,000 votes had the PPP and the PML-Q not supported his rival.

Sensing defeat, Sheikh Rashid alleged rigging even in the early phase of polling and refused to meet media persons, who went to the Lal Haveli to get his comments. Later, a dejected and disappointed Sheikh Rashid addressed newsmen in the Lal Haveli and accepted defeat. “I have no personal difference with anyone, only political.” He again alleged poll rigging. He vowed to continue his politics as the AML chief and termed the media, both print and electronic, his friend.

Immediately after the announcement of unofficial results, leaders, workers and activists of the PML-N came out on the streets and danced in jubilation to express joy over the victory of Shakeel Awan. Later, Nawaz Sharif visited the main election office of Shakeel Awan in Rawalpindi and congratulated him on his success.

Addressing hundreds of people gathered outside the office, Nawaz Sharif said Shakeel Awan has defeated one of the thieves of Ali Baba. The people of Rawalpindi have rejected the politics of hypocrisy, he said. Nawaz claimed if the PPP and the PML-Q had not supported Sheikh Rashid, the margin of Shakeel’s victory would have been much bigger. According to the Election Commission, the voters’ turnout was more than 50 per cent.