Lahore By-Elections 2025: PTI Cites “Rigging Fears” for Record-Low Turnout in NA-129 as PML-N Predicts Clean Sweep

Lahore,Nazrana Times Italy (Lahore Bureau),Ali Imran Chatha
By-elections across 13 National and Provincial Assembly constituencies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa concluded on Sunday amid exceptionally low voter turnout, particularly in Lahore’s critical NA-129. Polling remained open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM under tight security, yet many urban centers reported turnout below 20 percent, with several stations witnessing long hours of inactivity.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) described the overall process as peaceful, confirming that vote counting has begun across 334 polling stations in the provincial capital.

A Crucial Contest Following the Death of Mian Azhar
NA-129 fell vacant after the passing of senior PTI stalwart and former Punjab Governor Mian Muhammad Azhar earlier this year. The seat has since transformed into a symbolic showdown between the ruling PML-N and PTI-backed independent candidates, in the shadow of ongoing disqualifications tied to the May 9, 2023 unrest following Imran Khan’s arrest.
Sunday’s polling formed part of a broader by-election wave covering constituencies including NA-96 and NA-104 (Faisalabad), NA-143 (Sahiwal), NA-185 (Dera Ghazi Khan), and NA-18 (Haripur)—many of them vacated due to convictions of PTI leaders.
Despite subdued public participation, both PML-N and PTI remain firmly engaged in competing narratives and early victory claims.
PTI: “Turnout Collapse Shows Fear of Rigging, Not Apathy”
Speaking to Nazrana Times Italy’s Lahore Bureau, PTI Labour Wing Central Punjab President Haji Akbar Khan Sherani blamed the low turnout on voters’ diminished trust in the electoral process. This exclusive interaction took place at a notably quiet NA-129 polling station observed by senior correspondent Ali Imran Chatha.
“People didn’t stay home because they’re uninterested — they stayed home because they fear another engineered outcome like 2024,” Sherani said. “Every single ballot cast today is a message from the people to Imran Khan — their imprisoned voice of constitutional resistance. We won here before. Even with suppressed turnout, InshaAllah, victory is ours. We will guard every Form-45.”

Chatha’s on-ground observations highlighted PTI’s grassroots mobilization, with Labour Wing volunteers navigating restrictions to assist voters — a sign of the party’s determination despite a visibly muted response at polling sites.
PML-N: “Silent Polling Stations Reflect Rejection of PTI’s Chaos”
Meanwhile, PML-N Lahore President and MNA Malik Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar, also in conversation with Nazrana Times Italy, interpreted the low turnout differently.
“These empty polling booths are the actual result,” Khokhar asserted. “People have rejected PTI’s destabilizing politics. Today’s peaceful process is a mandate for the PML-N government and its stability. PTI’s inconsistency — threatening boycotts one day and contesting the next — only shows their desperation. Imran Khan is a convicted figure who no longer commands public confidence.”
The PML-N leadership remains confident of securing what Khokhar termed a “total clean sweep” across Punjab.

High Stakes as Counting Continues
With unofficial results expected later tonight, analysts view the NA-129 outcome as a potential indicator of broader public sentiment ahead of future electoral cycles. PTI has already stated its intention to pursue legal challenges if any irregularities surface.
Nazrana Times Italy’s Lahore Bureau, led by Ali Imran Chattha, will continue providing real-time updates as counting progresses.