Islamabad/Lahore/Faisalabad/Haripur, November 24, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday congratulated PML-N candidates for what he termed a “brilliant success” in the November 23 by-elections, as the ruling party swept all National Assembly seats and all but one Punjab Assembly seat contested.
Low voter turnout, the PTI’s election boycott in most constituencies, and allegations of rigging marked the by-polls held across 13 constituencies.
According to provisional results, the PML-N secured all six National Assembly (NA) seats and six of the seven Punjab Assembly seats. The PPP won the remaining provincial seat in Muzaffargarh, where the PML-N had not fielded a candidate.
Most of the seats had fallen vacant following the disqualification of PTI lawmakers over convictions in May 9-related cases.
PM credits Nawaz, Maryam for victories
In a series of separate statements released by the PM’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz hailed victories in NA-18 (Haripur), NA-96 and NA-104 (Faisalabad), NA-185 (Dera Ghazi Khan), PP-73 (Sargodha), PP-87 (Mianwali), and PP-98, PP-115, PP-116 (Faisalabad).
He attributed the party’s success to the “vision and exemplary leadership” of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and the “hard work” of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
He added that the results demonstrated public confidence in the government’s performance and development agenda.
The prime minister also congratulated PML-N winners in NA-143 and NA-129 (Sahiwal and Lahore), and PP-203 (Sahiwal), reiterating that the electorate had endorsed the party’s objectives of stability and public welfare. PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif also felicitated the winning candidates.
PTI rejects Haripur result, alleges vote tampering
The most heated contest emerged in NA-18 (Haripur), where the ECP’s provisional results showed PML-N’s Babar Nawaz Khan winning with 163,996 votes. PTI-backed independent candidate Shehrnaz Omar Ayub, wife of PTI leader Omar Ayub, secured 120,220 votes.
Rejecting the results, Omar Ayub vowed to challenge the outcome before the election tribunal and launch peaceful protests. “The returning officer stole our election,” he alleged, claiming Shehrnaz had a lead of over 27,000 votes across more than 500 polling stations.
Ayub accused the RO of refusing original Form-45s and using “duplicate forms” to alter results. Former NA speaker and senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser also dismissed the by-election as “fraudulent and riddled with rigging”, calling the polling process a violation of constitutional norms.
Qaiser further alleged discrepancies in results uploaded on the ECP website and claimed voter turnout was as low as 15–18 percent, arguing that “over 80% of citizens rejected the polls” by staying home.
PTI leaders also accused the ECP of bias, pointing to the placement of polling staff and changes in election symbols.
Election analyst Ahmed Bilal Mehboob noted that by securing five additional NA seats, the PML-N might no longer require PPP votes for a simple majority in the National Assembly.
“In other words, PML-N can stay in power without PPP’s support,” he wrote on X.
Other provisional results
The PML-N also secured victories in:
- NA-104 (Faisalabad-X)
- NA-129 (Lahore-XIII)
- NA-143 (Sahiwal-III)
- NA-185 (Dera Ghazi Khan-II)
- PP-73 (Sargodha-III)
- PP-87 (Mianwali-III)
- PP-115, PP-116, PP-98 (Faisalabad)
- PP-203 (Sahiwal-VI)
In NA-96 (Faisalabad-II), PML-N’s Bilal Badar Chaudhry won with 93,009 votes, defeating 15 contestants.
In PP-98 (Faisalabad-I), PML-N’s Azad Ali Tabassum secured 44,388 votes, beating independent candidate Muhammad Ajmal.
The PPP secured one victory in PP-269 (Muzaffargarh), where the PML-N did not field a candidate, and where the PTI had boycotted the poll.
