According to the results released by Election Commission of Pakistan, out of 347762 registered voters in NA-122 and 149885 votes were cast, out of which 1858 votes were rejected. The turnout remained 43.10 percent.
After very interesting contest between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Pakistan Muslim League, former Speaker National Assembly and PML-N’s candidate Sardar Ayaz Sadiq won the by-election in NA-122 Lahore by securing 74,525 votes. His main rival PTI candidate Abdul Aleem Khan got 72,082 votes and was the runners up.
As it was expected, main contest was between PLMN and PTI. Stalwarts of PMLN are claiming a huge victory as they have regained their seat in NA-122. Various leaders were lamenting PTI Chief Imran Khan for putting allegations of rigging in previous elections as people have rejected politics of PTI. But how people have rejected politics of PTI when its candidate got respectable 72,082 votes just 2443 less than PMLN’s candidate. PMLN also could not secure seat of PP-147 and lost it to Shoaib Siddiqui of PTI. According to this bizarre logic, people have rejected politics of PTI on National Assembly’s seat but they have also rejected politics of PMLN on Provincial Assembly’s seat.
Both the parties should take this result as a litmus test for next general elections. PTI should mend it way by putting aside politics of blame game and concentrate on development of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. Now it is time to show some maturity and democratic spirit on the part of the PTI to accept its defeat gracefully. On the other side, PMLN should also learn that claim ‘Takht-e-Lahore’ belongs to only its party has been proved wrong. They have regained a seat with very narrow margin and lost one to PTI. If PMLN would not be able to fulfill their promises made during election campaign of 2013 general elections, they would be at the receiving end in next general elections.