ECP notifies victory of PML-N's Azhar Qayyum from NA-81

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has notified victory of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Azhar Qayyum as MNA from NA-81 after a recount, ARY News reported on Tuesday. 

Pursuant to the order dated 11th March 2024 passed by the Election Commission of Pakistan in case No.F.7(427)2024-Law-III(GE), the returning officer NA-81 Gujranwala-V carried out the recounting of votes and as a result of the recounting, PML-N’s Azhar Qayyum has been declared the winner with a majority of the votes, the notification read.

Earlier Bilal Aijaz, an independent candidate backed by PTI, was declared the winner with 117,717 votes while the PML-N candidate finished as runner-up with 109,926 votes

PML-N’s Azhar Qayyum requested that the ballots be recounted, and the Returning Officer (RO) granted his request. Following the vote tally, Azhar Qayyum defeated independent candidate Bilal Aijaz, backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), by a margin of 3197 votes.

After the recounting, Azhar Qayyum secured 110,057 votes while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent candidate Bilal Aijaz bagged 106,860 votes.