Khawaja Asif retains NA-73 seat following vote recount

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif retained his NA-73, Sialkot 2 seat as re-tabulation of votes in different constituencies across the country continued for a second day today (Sunday).

The vote recount was completed in NA-73 with Asif receiving 45 more votes than before. The vote count of PTI's Muhammad Usman Dar, who had requested the re-tally in the constituency, increased by 132 but he still remained behind the PML-N leader.

Asif had secured 116,957 votes during the July 25 polls which after the recount stood at 117,002. Meanwhile, Dar's vote count increased from 115,464 to 115,596.

NA-33, Hangu

The re-count of votes also concluded in NA-33, Hangu, and PTI's Khial Zaman remained the winner.

The PTI leader received 735 more votes in the recount which was done on the request of MMA's Atiqur Rehman who emerged runner-up during the 2018 General Election.

As per the results of the recount, 28,703 votes were cast in favour of the PTI leader while the MMA leader remained on second position with 27,968 votes.

NA-114, Jhang

Further, votes are being re-tabulated in 10 remaining polling stations of NA-114 Jhang.

On Saturday, votes were recounted in 10 polling stations of the constituency in which PTI’s Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob had defeated PPP’s Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat with a difference of 589 votes. During Saturday's re-tally, Hayat's vote count increased by 89 votes.

The PTI candidate had received 106,043 votes during the July 25 polls while Hayat had gathered 105,454. 

NA-129, Lahore

Votes were recounted once again in NA-129 Lahore 7 on a request submitted by the losing candidate in the constituency — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Abdul Aleem Khan.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq emerged victor after the re-count from the constituency.

Sadiq received 103,021 votes while Aleem Khan was the runner-up with 94,879 votes in the July 25 polls.

On Saturday, votes could only be recounted from 20 of NA-129's 297 polling stations.

NA-108, Faisalabad

Further, votes are being re-tabulated in NA-108, Faisalabad 8. PML-N’s Abid Sher Ali had raised the call for a recount after he lost to PTI’s Farrukh Habib with a very thin margin (under 1,500 votes).

NA-230, Badin

Meanwhile, recount of votes is also underway in NA-230, Badin.

GDA's Dr Fehmida Mirza had defeated PPP's Haji Rasool Bux Chandio with a mere 860 votes during the July 25 polls. Chandio had challenged Mirza's victory and had requested a recount in the constituency.

A re-tally is also under way for the provincial assembly seat in the constituency — PS-73. PPP's Taj Muhammad had secured victory with 37,645 votes over Dr Fehmida Mirza in the Sindh Assembly seat.

NA-248, Karachi

PPP's Abdul Qadir Patel was declared winner after a re-count in NA-248, Karachi West 1 on the request of PTI's Sardar Aziz. Patel's votes increased to 37,075 votes while Aziz remain second with 34,322 votes. 

According to sources, votes were re-tabulated from 51 polling stations of the constituency on Saturday. "Votes remain to be counted again from 231 polling stations," the sources said.

Re-tabulation is also under way in 131 polling stations of NA-22, Mardan. PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan had won in the NA-22 constituency against MMA’s Maulana Muhammad Qasim.

Votes are also being recounted in Multan's NA-154 and NA-157 constituencies as well as NA-22 Mardan.

A vote recount is also underway for provincial assembly seats from Gujranwala constituencies of PP-52 and PP-54. PML-N's Imran Khalid Butt had secured victory over PTI's Rizwan Ullah Butt in PP-54 while PML-N's Chaudhry Aadil Bakhsh Chattha had defeated PTI's Muhamamd Ahmad Chattha in PP-52.

Prominent political parties have rejected the outcome of the elections, won by the Imran Khan-led PTI. The All Parties Conference (APC) has announced protests demanding new polls after foreign observers criticised the pivotal vote over rigging allegations.

The announcement by the APC, including the outgoing PML-N, is a fresh obstacle to power for Imran after delayed results finally showed he had won an emphatic victory — though he will need to seek a coalition to form a government.

The nationwide polls held Wednesday were criticised by the United States, the European Union (EU), and other observers after widespread claims that the playing field was fixed in Khan's favour.

While some have dubbed it "Pakistan's dirtiest election," Khan's victory, for now, represents an end to decades of rotating leadership between the PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) that was punctuated by periods of military rule.

The vote was meant to be a rare democratic transition in the country but was marred by violence and allegations of interference in the months leading up to the vote, with Khan seen as the beneficiary.