ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has strongly rejected the results of the PP-52 by-election held in Sambrial, accusing the ruling party of systematic rigging.
PTI-backed candidate Fakhir Nishat Ghuman, who came in second with 40,037 votes, claimed that Form 45s were manipulated and prepared before polling had even concluded.
Speaking to the media shortly after the unofficial results were announced, Ghuman said, โThey prepared Form 45 according to their wishes.
This entire process was staged.
We will not accept these results and will consult with our party leadership to decide the next steps.โ The by-election was won by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hina Arshad Warraich, who secured 78,419 votes, winning by a margin of over 38,000.
PTI Alleges Polling Station Chaos and Voter Suppression
PTIโs Central Information Secretary, Sheikh Waqas Akram, also addressed a press conference in Islamabad, doubling down on the partyโs stance that the vote was manipulated. โOnce again, our mandate has been stolen,โ he said. โThe people turned out in huge numbers, but the PML-N thugs created chaos and showed their true colours.โ
He further alleged that PTI polling agents were assaulted, forcibly removed from polling stations, and prevented from overseeing the vote count. โThis was not an electionโit was a hijacking. We will not let anyone steal the people’s voice in Sambrial,โ Waqas declared.
Growing Controversy Around PP-52 Poll
The PP-52 seat had fallen vacant after the death of former MPA Chaudhry Arshad Warraich.
The by-election saw polling across 185 stations, with no major security incidents officially reported. However, PTIโs claims have cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the process.
PML-N has denied all allegations and maintains the election was free and fair, calling PTIโs accusations a โsore losersโ narrative.โ The dispute adds further tension to an already polarized political landscape in Punjab.
