PML-N candidate defeat PTI in PP-139 Sheikhupura by-election

SHEIKHUPURA: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) canddiate, Rana Tahir Iqbal, won the by-election for the Punjab Assembly seat in the PP-139 of Sheikhupura on Thursday.

According to preliminary results, the PML-N candidate, received 44,537 votes in the PP-139 by-election (56.64 per cent of entire vote). The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate, Ijaz Hussain Butt, was the runner-up with 20,133 votes.

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The other candidates who participated include Muhammad Farooq ul Hassan from Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), who pilled 7,196 votes (9.15 per cent).

Mian Abdul Rauf stood as an independent, garnering 6,695 votes (8.51 per cent).

The total voter turnout for the 2024 by-election was 80,019, totaling 41.40 per cent of the registered electors. The by-election was conducted across 124 polling stations in the constituency.

The by-election was necessitated by the death of Rana Afzal Hussain, the previous member of provincial assembly (MPA), who passed away in August.

Rana Afzal Hussain was a member of the PML-N. He passed away from a sudden heart attack, leaving a vacancy behind that his party aimed to fill as quickly as possible.

The PML-N quick nomination of Rana Tahir Iqbal indicates the party’s strategy to retain its influence in the region.

The PML-N hailed the recent victory as a “reflection of the people’s confidence in the party’s policies”.

The political party declared the win as the public deciding “in favour of development and prosperity instead of chaos”, and rejecting the “jilao ghirao” narrative – taking a swipe at their rivals.

PML-N dedicated the victory to its supremo, Nawaz Sharif, claiming that under his leadership, ‘positive’ results of public service were “beginning to emerge”.

Following the announcement of the unofficial results, PML-N supporters celebrated at Rana Tahir’s residence.

The political landscape in the country’s most populous province has been evolving, particularly with the emergence of the PTI as a strong contender against the transitional stronghold of the PML-N.

The PTI candidate, Ijaz Hussain Bhatti, initially registered as a member of the PTI but had to then run as an independent candidate due to legal issues surrounding the party’s symbol in the Supreme Court.

The constituency of PP-139 Sheikhupura-IV is located in the Ferozewala district. It was created from the PP-154 constituency, which existed from 2002 to 2018.

Prior to the December 2024 by-election, another by-election was conducted in April, following Rana Tanveer Hussain’s decision to vacate the seat.

In the election, Rana Afzal Hussain won with 45,679 votes, accounting for 57 per cent of the total vote count.

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His closest competitor, Ijaz Hussain Bhatti, received 28,569 votes, amounting to 36.50 per cent.

The turnout for the election was 83,055, representing 43.90 per cent of the registered voters. The constituency has been traditionally a PML-N stronghold, with Mian Abdul Rauf winning the 2018 general election by securing 42.12 per cent of the vote