LAHORE – PML-N stalwart Rana Sanaullah has clinched resounding victory in the Punjab Senate by-election, bagging 250 votes and reaffirming the ruling alliance’s dominance in the provincial assembly.
The contest comes after PTI’s Ejaz Chaudhry lost his Senate seat in wakr of jail sentence over his role in the May 9, 2023 riots. His disqualification paved the way for one of Punjab’s most high-profile electoral battles in recent months.
Sanaullah was the unanimous pick of PML-N coalition, bringing together PPP, IPP, and PML-Q. With 263 lawmakers firmly behind him, he stormed past the required 180-vote threshold.
-
PML-N: 229
-
PPP: 16
-
IPP: 7
-
PML-Q: 11
Meanwhile, opposition fielded Salma Ejaz, wife of the ousted PTI senator. She initially had 100 votes lined up, 73 from the Sunni Ittehad Council, 24 from PTI, and single votes from TLP, Muslim League-Zia, and MWM.
But in the eleventh hour, the opposition pulled back and announced a boycott. Despite her name remaining on the ballot, Deputy Opposition Leader Moin Qureshi issued strict warnings to PTI legislators, forbidding them from casting votes.
