Sahiwal/Gujranwala, November 8,2026: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has won the PP-203 Chichawatni by-election and maintained a narrow lead in NA-77 Gujranwala-I, according to unofficial and unverified results of the by-elections held on Sunday.
While the ruling party secured a comfortable victory in PP-203, a close contest continued in NA-77 between its candidate and the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), with the latest available figures showing a margin of fewer than 1,500 votes.
Results from all 185 polling stations in PP-203 Sahiwal-VI showed that PML-N candidate Chaudhry Asad Hanif Jatt secured 41,245 votes, defeating Tehreek-e-Ehsaas Pakistan candidate Muhammad Awais Gujjar, who received 23,167 votes.
Asad Hanif Jatt won by a margin of 18,078 votes.
The seat fell vacant following the death of his father, PML-N MPA Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif Jatt, on September 17, 2026, due to cardiac arrest.
The constituency has 258,122 registered voters, with 185 polling stations and 560 polling booths. Seven candidates contested the by-election, including four independents.
Although polling remained peaceful, Awais Gujjar accused the PML-N camp of placing fake ballot boxes inside polling stations. The allegation was rejected by the ruling party’s candidate.
Close contest in NA-77 Gujranwala-I
In NA-77 Gujranwala-I, PML-N candidate Rashid Bashir Virk maintained a narrow lead over Pakistan Markazi Muslim League candidate Muhammad Ibrahim Gujjar.
According to unofficial Form-45 figures from 125 of the constituency’s 333 polling stations, Rashid Bashir Virk secured 13,104 votes against Ibrahim Gujjar’s 11,708, giving the PML-N candidate a lead of 1,396 votes.
Rashid Bashir Virk is the son of late PML-N MNA Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk, who represented the constituency five times before his death on September 11, 2026, following a prolonged illness.
The constituency has more than 518,000 registered voters, with 333 polling stations and 963 polling booths. Eleven candidates contested the by-election, while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamaat-e-Islami did not officially field candidates.
The NA-77 contest also witnessed allegations of electoral irregularities. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari alleged that supporters of Markazi Muslim League candidate Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar were caught stamping ballot papers in the presence of election staff.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took notice of the allegation and directed the Returning Officer to investigate the matter and submit a report.
Separately, the ECP issued notices to PML-N MNA Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar and MPA Hina Arshad Warraich over alleged violations of the election code of conduct for visiting polling stations.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja also visited the office of the Provincial Election Commissioner in Lahore, where he received a briefing on polling arrangements.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz claimed in several posts on social media platform X that the PML-N was leading in both constituencies.
The results remain unofficial and unverified. The Election Commission of Pakistan will announce the final results through its prescribed process.
