LAHORE: The PML-N won Wednesday’s by-elections in NA-123 (Lahore) and PP-82 (Jhang) while the PML-Zia and the PPP clinched PP-284 (Bahawalnagar) and PP-25 (Jafarabad), respectively, according to unofficial results received so far from majority of the polling stations.

The PML-N got a thumping majority in NA-123 (Lahore VI) where its candidate Pervaiz Malik got 44,547 votes while his nearest candidate from PTI Mian Hamid Miraj managed to get 9,304 votes, according to unofficial results.

Much trumpeted alliance of the JI and the PML-Q couldn’t save the former from a crushing defeat and its candidate, Hafiz Salman Butt, remained at number three with just over 3,275 votes to his name.

There were 57,142 total votes cast out of 286,997 registered votes while total poling booths were 644 and total poling stations were 268. Besides, a number of independent candidates in the run for the by-polls also failed miserably to show any significant performance and the PML-N managed to retain its seat by a big margin.

As per unofficial results, turnout in the NA-123 by-polls remained around 20 per cent. It is noteworthy that the PML-N continued its tradition of winning this seat by big margins as it won the same slot with nearly 11,000 votes in the 2002 polls, 50,000 votes in 2008 and around 35,000 this time. For the first time, a candidate from Lahore has been elected on the seat in the form of Pervaiz Malik since the bifurcation of old constituency in 2002. In 2002 and 2008 polls, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi had been the winner from this seat.

Heavy contingents of police were deployed at all polling stations situated in the union councils of NA-123 where voters didn’t turn up in a large number despite holiday announced by the provincial government. JI and PTI candidates, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the process of polling and levelled allegation of rigging and use of state machinery by the Punjab government.

Our Jhang correspondent adds: The returning officer of PP-82 announced unofficial results of by-polls in Jhang. PML-N candidate Azam Chela with 42,145 votes declared winner while PPP candidate Ghazanfer Ali Jabbuana got 30,436 and stood second in the contest.

APP adds from Faisalabad: The police arrested two gunmen of the PPP candidate’s polling agent Najaf Abbas Sial and recovered a Kalashnikov and a 9 mm riffle at the Kot Muraad polling station.

Talking to media men at Jhang, Najaf Abbas protested against the police action and termed it an example of police excesses and open support of the police and the administration for the PML-N candidate.

Najaf Sial, who was chief polling agent of the PPP candidate Nawab Ghazanfar Jabbuana, said the police throughout the election campaign chased and harassed him so as to give up his support to the PPP candidate.

He said the Punjab government claimed it believed in the rule of law, transparency and equity but practically it always violated the law with impunity. He blamed the Punjab government for ruthlessly using official resources, which he termed unethical and underhand tactics to win the by-election. When contacted, police claimed gunmen of Najaf Abbas Sial were arrested as they were involved in displaying arms and were held in violation of Section 144 imposed by the administration.