MULTAN: In NA-148 Multan-I general election, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Syed Ali Qasim Gilani defeated Sunni Ittehad Council (SIK) candidate Barrister Taimur Altaf Mahai by a landslide.
The election was held on the vacant seat following the resignation of Senate President Yusuf Raza Gilani.
According to the official and unconfirmed results, the PPP politician got 89,097 votes while the SIK candidate got 53,572 votes in the crucial Multan contest where Mahai lost by 35,572 votes in Sunday’s election.
The entire process of the questionnaire was conducted in a peaceful environment with strict security measures. Although the police declared 69 polling stations “sensitive”, there were no untoward incidents.
Pakistan Army and Punjab Rangers continued to patrol the sensitive polling places throughout the day, while CCTV cameras and checkpoints were also installed to monitor the situation.
However, election officials complained about the lack of facilities such as cold water and fans at polling stations, while polling watchdogs observed low voter turnout due to the hot weather in the city.
Polling starts at 8 am and ends at 5 pm without any break.
In the most important constituency in its history, the constituency named NA-154 Multan-I in the 2018 polls has been renamed NA-148 Multan-I for the February 8 elections.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the total number of registered voters in the constituency was 444,231.
At least 2,424 election officials are assigned to polling stations, and 2,555 police officers are on security duty.
Qasim’s victory in the general election made Geelani a unique political and parliamentary record with all male family members in the National Assembly, Punjab Assembly and Senate.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, head of the Gilani family and former prime minister, is now the chairman of the Senate. Three of his sons were elected to the National Assembly and one member of the Punjab Assembly.
Syed Ali Musa Gilani from NA-151 Multan 4, Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani from NA-152 Multan 5 and Syed Ali Qasim Gilani from NA-148 Multan won the general election. Meanwhile, Syed Ali Haider Gilani was elected MPA from PP-213 Multan-1.
