Islamabad: The ruling PML-N grabbed the lion`s share of seats in Pakistan`s biggest ever by-elections held in 41 constituencies consolidating its grip on power.
The polls, generally held in a peaceful and transparent manner except in some constituencies where women were not allowed to vote, was also marked with some big upsets.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan`s Pakistan Tehrik- e-Insaf lost two of its key seats of National Assembly that were vacated by none other than the party chief himself.
The spree of upsets did not spare the PML-N either that lost three seats in the Punjab Assembly, considered as the ruling party`s bastion.
Two of these seats were vacated by the PML-N`s bigwigs ? Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa.
The overall, unofficial NA results suggest that PML-N won five seats, PPP won two seats, Imran`s party three and Awami National Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) each won a seat.
By-polls on Punjab Assembly seats were a PML-N show where it got 12 out of 15 seats. The PPP and the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf were both leading on two seats each. In Sindh Assembly, the MQM got three seats while PPP won one seat.
There were a total of 519 candidates contesting for 41 seats. 15 of National Assemblies and 26 of provincial assemblies.
The election authorities have withheld the results in NA-5 Nowshera and NA-27 Lakki Marwat where women were barred from casting their votes. The new date for re-polling has not been announced.
PTI
