Elections 2024: Independent candidate clinches PS-18 after re-polling

GHOTKI: Independent candidate Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar has emerged victorious after re-polling at two polling stations of PS-18 Ghotki, defeating Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) candidate, ARY News reported.

As per unofficial results, Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar secured 1592 votes from the two polling stations while PPP’s Shahryar Khan Shar bagged 973 votes.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ordered re-polling after an unfortunate incident in the 8th February General Elections as a ballot box and other records were maliciously set on fire by some miscreants in the Returning Officer’s (RO) office.

Before the re-polling, independent candidate Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar secured 56285 votes while PPP’s Shahryar Khan Shar got 54705 votes. After the re-polling process, Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar’s lead exceeded to 2199 votes.

It is pertinent to mention here that Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar is an incumbent senator of the PPP and is set to retire in March 2027. After being denied the party ticket, he decided to contest the poll as an independent candidate.

Meanwhile, the ECP has said the polling was held at polling station No.162 of PS-18 Ghotki peacefully.

In a statement, an ECP spokesman rejected the media reports regarding the halt in the polling process and said that such ‘rumors’ are baseless.

According to the Returning officer of PS-18 polling process was held peacefully.

He said an aerial firing was noted outside the polling station after which security measures were adopted.