2017 NA-120 by-election explained

Election Name:2017 Lahore by-election
Country:Pakistan
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2013 Pakistani general election
Previous Year:2013
Election Date:17 September 2017
Next Election:2018 Pakistani general election
Next Year:2018
Opinion Polls:Opinion polling for the Pakistani general election, 2018#Constituency-wide voting intention
Seats For Election:NA-120 Lahore constituency
Map Size:250px
MNA
Before Election:Nawaz Sharif
Before Party:PML (N)
After Election:Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif
After Party:PML (N)
Candidate1:Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif
Image1:Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif - White House - 2013 (cropped).jpg
Party1:Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Popular Vote1:61,745
Percentage1:49.35
Swing1:11.19
Candidate2:Yasmin Rashid
Party2:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Popular Vote2:47,099
Percentage2:37.64
Swing2:3.08

There was a by-election in the Pakistani parliamentary constituency of NA-120 on 17 September 2017, following the decision given by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from public office. PML (N) candidate Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif secured 61,745 votes and defeated Yasmin Rashid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.[1]

Background

Following the decision given by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from public office, a by-election was triggered in his NA-120 constituency.[1]

Immediately, speculation arose of PML (N) choosing the current Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif as a candidate for NA-120 as well as Prime Minister.[2] Later on, however, Shehbaz Sharif was said to be continuing his position as Chief Minister of Punjab until 2018, ruling him out as a candidate. Subsequently, Nawaz Sharif's wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, was chosen as the candidate for PML (N).[3]

Campaign

The main challenger of Kulsoom Nawaz for the seat was Dr. Yasmin Rashid of PTI, who also contested the seat in 2013.[4] She ran primarily on the issue that Nawaz Sharif and PML (N) were “corrupt” and that they did not do much for the constituency. The PML (N) campaign was run by Nawaz's daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who claimed that the Supreme Court ruling was unfair and that Nawaz Sharif was the legitimate Prime Minister.[5]

Result

Previous Result

Nawaz Sharif won this seat with 91,666 votes. |}

Result

Kulsoom Nawaz won this seat for PML (N), albeit with a much reduced majority of 14,646 due to gains by PTI and small Islamist Parties.

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Notes and References

  1. News: Nawaz seat: Election in NA-120 to take place on September 17. Bilal. Muhammad. 2017-08-01. DAWN.COM. 2017-08-02. en.
  2. News: Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif names brother as successor.
  3. Web site: Kulsoom Nawaz submits nomination papers for NA-120 by-poll - The Express Tribune. tribune.com.pk. 11 August 2017.
  4. Web site: NA-120 by-poll: PTI candidate Yasmin Rashid's nomination papers accepted.
  5. Web site: On the NA-120 campaign trail. www.geo.tv. 15 September 2017.