MULTAN, July 19: A contest which the PPP expected to be a walkover turned out to be a neck `n` neck fight in Multan on Thursday.
The
voters of the NA-151 constituency gave their mandate to Abdul Qadir
Gilani, son of disqualified prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, but it
was only a marginal victory for the PPP.
According to observers,
the thin margin of the Gilani junior`s victory showed that the voters
were disgruntled with the ruling party.
Independent candidate
Shaukat Bosan, who was being dubbed the underdog despite enjoying the
support of major opposition parties PTI, PML-N and the JI, put up a
tough fight and lost by only 4,096 votes.According to unofficial
results, Mr Gilani secured 64,628 votes and Mr Bosan 60,532.
Celebrations erupted in the Gilani camp once the count was completed.
There was tension in both camps during the count and fortunes fluctuated as results trickled in.
The Election Commission had set up 245 polling stations 62 for men, 59 for women and 123 joint with 712 booths.
The number of registered voters was 307,871.
Although
the EC had declared 64 polling stations sensitive, the electoral
process went on peacefully, except in Khairpur Bhutta where two groups
occasionally fired into the air.
Ten candidates were in the run but only Mr Gilani contested on a party tick-et.
The polling began at 8am and concluded at 5pm.
Urban stations saw a slow turnout, but polling in rural areas was brisk throughout the day.
Many
voters reached polling stations on their own as under the new election
rules candidates were not allowed to arrange pick-and-drop facility for
them and the EC failed to provide transport in several areas.
The
commission, however, made adequate arrangements to provide slips to
voters containing their names, voter numbers and polling station by
setting up camps outside polling booths.
But several voters at the Muhammadpura Ghota polling station complained that the slips were incorrect.
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