PTI-backed candidate Khurram Zeeshan wins Senate by-election from KP

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate Khurram Zeeshan has won the general seat in the Senate from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, which had fallen vacant after the disqualification of PTI leader and Opposition Leader in Senate Shibli Faraz following his conviction and disqualification in a case related to the May 9, 2023 riots.

Polling continued uninterrupted from 9 am to 4 pm, with a total of 136 members casting their votes.

The main contest was between PTI’s Khurram Zeeshan and opposition-backed Taj Mohammad Afridi. Zeeshan secured 91 votes, while Afridi received 45 votes.

Four opposition members — Akram Durrani (JUI-F), Nadia Sher (PTI-Parliamentarians), Ali Hadi (PML-N) and Farzana Sher (PPP) — did not cast their votes.

At the start of polling, only three members were present in the assembly hall, but the Election Commission of Pakistan formally announced the commencement of voting. Ehsanullah Khan from PK-115 cast the first vote, followed by minority member Gurpal Singh.

Those who cast their votes included Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, Amjad Ali, Shafiullah, Aurangzeb Khan Orakzai, Sher Ali Afridi, Aftab Alam Afridi, Riaz Khan, Abdul Kabir Khan, Ajab Gul Wazir, and Syed Qasim Ali Shah, among others.

The chief minister, who was caught in a traffic jam on his way to the assembly, left his vehicle and walked to the assembly building accompanied by his security personnel.

After casting his vote, the KP chief minister left for Rawalpindi to meet with PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan in Adiala jail.

For the by-election, Provincial Election Commissioner Saeed Gul served as the returning officer, while Joint Provincial Election Commissioner Muhammad Farid Afridi, Director Elections Muhammad Nadeem Khan, Deputy Director Media Coordination Sohail Ahmed, Deputy Director Elections Fahad Ali Shah, and Deputy Director Law Muhammad Amjad were appointed as polling officers.