Amir Dogar defeats Javed Hashmi in Multan by-election

MULTAN: Independent candidate Amir Dogar has won by-election for National Assembly constituency NA-149, bagging 52321 votes, said Returning Officer Muhammad Shahid.

He said that Javed Hashmi secured 38393 votes while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Javed Siddiqui got 6326 votes.

Javed Hashmi, who recently parted ways with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, enjoyed a low key support from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz while Mr Dogar was openly supported by the Imran Khan-led party in Multan.

Experts say the PTI was taking the by-election as do or die fight as Hashmi’s revolt amidst the Islamabad sit-in had dealt a blow to its campaign aimed at overthrowing Nawaz Sharif government in the center.

286 polling stations were set up in the constituency out of which 144 polling had been reserved for men and 142 for women. In order to deal with any untoward incident, Rangers and police had been deployed at 107 stations declared as sensitive.

Only one untoward incident was reported during voting when two groups clashed at polling station no.132. This station had been designated for female voters.