LAHORE: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah Khan, won the Senate by-election from Punjab on Tuesday, according to unofficial results issued on Form-56.
The PML-N leader secured 250 votes from members of the Punjab Assembly. Out of the total 363 legislators, 251 exercised their right to vote, while one ballot was rejected.
The contest was initially between Sanaullah and Salma Ejaz, wife of disqualified PTI senator Ejaz Chaudhry. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) boycotted the election, leaving the government alliance, which had the backing of 263 members, with a clear advantage over the opposition’s 100 voters.
The polling process continued uninterrupted from 9am to 4pm inside the Punjab Assembly. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari also cast their votes in favour of the government candidate.
After the victory was confirmed, Sanaullah told reporters that PTI’s boycott reflected its unwillingness to face the democratic process. “The PTI did not choose to boycott the democratic process but chose to escape from the elections. Their boycott of the elections is a lack of confidence in their members,” he said.
He also condemned the recent attack on Aleema Khan during the media interaction.
Earlier, PTI’s media wing had announced that Salma Ejaz herself had declined to contest, stating that she did not want to be part of what she termed “fraudulent elections.” PTI patron-in-chief Imran Khan had barred the party from contesting any by-polls except in NA-129, Lahore, where Hammad Azhar, son of the late MNA and former governor Mian Azhar, is expected to be the candidate.
Imran Khan reiterated that PTI would not field candidates to replace lawmakers who were “unjustly disqualified.” Twelve PTI legislators were unseated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after their conviction in the May 9, 2023, cases—comprising eight National Assembly and four Punjab Assembly members.
Azma Bokhari, speaking to the media, claimed that PTI had already fled the electoral field. “The PTI is unable to find candidates willing to face PML-N in the field,” she remarked.
