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Monday, 24 November, 2025 | 2 Jamadiul Sani, 1447
Rs 50.00 | Vol XVI No 138 | 48 Pages | Islamabad Edition
PML-N LEADING AS BY-POLLS HELD IN 13 NA AND PA CONSTITUENCIES AMID RIGGING ALLEGATIONS g
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS SHOW PML-N LEADING IN KEY NATIONAL AND PUNJAB ASSEMBLY SEATS
PUNJAB ASSEMBLY SEATS IN FAISALABAD, SAHIWAL, AND SARGODHA SHOW STRONG PML-N PERFORMANCE
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TUFAIL JUTT SURGES WITH OVER 136,000 VOTES IN NA-143 SAHIWAL, PARTY DOMINATES NA-96 FAISALABAD AND NA-18 HARIPUR
Contact: 0307-7338168
Lifetime immunity for top officials raises concerns PTI ALLEGES RIGGING AND DISRUPTION, CLAIMS WORKERS DETAINED AND CAMPS DISMANTLED over unchecked executive 17,047 votes. In NA-96 Faisalabad-II, candidate Zarar Akbar trailed with 13,120 sults showing the Pakistan Muslim LAHORE/FAISALABAD/HARIPUR/ISLAMABAD authority: HRCP League-Nawaz (PML-N) leading in mul- votes. In NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan, Bilal Chaudhry of PML-N led with saleeM jadoon
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irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
PM SHEHBAZ CONGRATULATES VICTORIOUS CANDIDATES, PRAISES PARTY LEADERSHIP
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ULING PML-N’s candidates are leading with a “clear margin” as vote count continued after polling concluded for byelections in six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly constituencies, according to unofficial results till late midnight. The political landscape witnessed the high-stakes electoral test on Sunday as by-elections were held in six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly constituencies across the country. Voters in a total of 13 constituencies—including NA18 Haripur, NA-96 Faisalabad-II, NA104 Faisalabad-X, NA-129 Lahore-XIII, NA-143 Sahiwal-III, NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan-II, PP-73 Sargodha-III, PP-87 Mianwali-III, PP-98 Faisalabad-I, PP-115 Faisalabad-XVIII, PP-116 FaisalabadXIX, PP-203 Sahiwal-VI, and PP-269 Muzaffargarh-II—turned out amid tight security and heightened political tension. These seats had fallen vacant primarily due to the disqualification of several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in cases linked to the May 9, 2023, riots that erupted following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. With unofficial and unconfirmed re-
tiple constituencies, the by-elections are being viewed as a significant indicator of public sentiment ahead of the general elections. PML-N LEADS IN KEY NA AND PA CONSTITUENCIES According to unofficial results, in NA-143 Sahiwal, PML-N’s Chaudhry Muhammad Tufail Jutt secured a commanding lead with 136,313 votes from all 442 polling stations, while independent
PML-N’s Mehmood Qadir Leghari led with 40,527 votes, followed by PPP candidate Sardar Dost Khosa, who received 19,008 votes. In NA-18 Haripur, PML-N’s Babar Nawaz led with 44,707 votes against independent candidate Sheher Naz’s 28,469 votes. NA-129 Lahore, which witnessed an intense contest, saw PML-N’s Hafiz Nauman leading with 38,252 votes, while PTI-backed Chaudhry Arslan secured
63,957 votes, followed by independent Malik Nawab Sher Waseer with 21,067 votes. Among Punjab Assembly constituencies, PP-269 Muzaffargarh saw PPP’s Mian Alamdar Qureshi leading with 23,227 votes, while independent Iqbal Pitafi trailed at 13,444 votes. In PP87 Mianwali, Ali Haider Noor Khan led with 44,944 votes against Nawabzada Ayaz Khan’s 2,622 votes. PP-98 Faisalabad reported PML-N’s Azad Ali Tabassum leading with 28,907 votes, followed by independent Muhammad Ajmal Cheema with 20,401 votes. Other PMLN leads were reported in PP-115 Faisalabad, PP-203 Sahiwal, and PP-73 Sargodha. PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES PML-N’S TUFAIL JUTT Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his congratulations to Muhammad Tufail Jutt on his “resounding” victory in the NA-143 Chichawatni byelection. In a statement, he attributed the win to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, the tireless work of party workers, and public confidence in Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s development initiatives.
Sanaullah reiterates Pakistan slams Indian Defence govt’s dialogue ‘offer’ to Minister’s Sindh remarks as PTI, flays electoral boycott ‘expansionist hindutva agenda’ g
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PM’S AIDE SAYS GOVERNMENT STILL OPEN TO POLITICAL TALKS UNDER ‘MISAQ-I-ISTEHKAM-I-PAKISTAN’ FAISALABAD
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FO SPOKESPERSON CALLS RAJNATH SINGH’S STATEMENTS ‘DELUSIONAL AND DANGEROUSLY REVISIONIST’ ISLAMABAD
staff report
staff report
PML-N Senator Rana Sanaullah on Sunday reiterated the government’s offer to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold dialogue and resolve the long-standing political crises affecting the country. “The government is committed to a peaceful, negotiated resolution and all political parties need to come together at the table to safeguard democracy and stability,” PM’s advisor Sanaullah emphasized while speaking to the media in Faisalabad. “We are still in favour of politicians sitting together to resolve issues,” Sanaullah said, recalling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s “unconditional offer” made in August to all political parties to join the ‘Misaq-i-Istehkami-Pakistan’ (Charter for Stability of Pakistan). The senator stressed that dialogue, not confrontation, is the cornerstone of democratic progress, criticizing PTI Chairman Imran Khan for “always creating deadlocks” that undermine governance. Sanaullah made these remarks as by-elections were underway in PP-116, where his son-in-law Ahmed Shaharyar is contesting as the PML-N candidate. On PTI’s official boycott of most by-elections, he stated bluntly: “Imran Khan sahib is not even doing politics. He has never done politics. It is this country’s and the public’s misfortune that he was brought [into power].” He accused the PTI of attempting to spread “chaos, anarchy, and fitna” from jail, citing examples from May 9 and November 26 protests. Weeks of negotiations between the government and the PTI in December last year failed to yield results, with both sides blaming the other for derailing talks. Recently, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed that no negotiations were ongoing between the party, the federal government, or the military establishment.
Pakistan on Sunday delivered a forceful diplomatic protest after the Foreign Office (FO) issued a sharply worded condemnation of what it described as Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s “delusional and dangerously revisionist remarks” about Sindh, saying such statements reflected an “expansionist Hindutva mindset” aimed at redrawing recognised borders and unsettling regional stability. Responding to Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarking, the FO in a statement said, “Such statements revealed an “expansionist Hindutva mindset that seeks to challenge established realities and stands in clear violation of international law, the inviolability of recognised borders, and the sovereignty of states”. The FO said Singh’s remarks were not only provocative but “in clear violation of international law, the inviolability of recognised borders, and the sovereignty of states.” It said the comments laid bare an ideological posture in New Delhi that seeks to advance “historical distortions and fantastical civilisational claims” at the expense of regional peace. The FO emphasised that responsible leadership required restraint and respect for established norms, saying: “We urge Mr Rajnath Singh and other Indian leaders to refrain from rhetoric that threatens regional peace and stability. It would be far more constructive for the Government of India to focus on ensuring the security of its own citizens, particularly vulnerable minority communities.” The rebuke followed Singh’s assertion —
widely quoted in Indian media — in which he claimed: “Today, the land of Sindh may not be a part of India, but civilisationally, Sindh will always be a part of India… borders can change. Who knows, tomorrow Sindh may return to India again.” Singh reportedly made the remarks at a Sindhi Samaj Sammelan event in Delhi, where he also suggested that Sindhi Hindus from his generation never fully accepted the province’s accession to Pakistan in 1947. Analysts say such rhetoric surfaces periodically in India, often during domestic political cycles or moments of heightened Pakistan-India tensions. Pakistan dismissed the assertions outright, calling them irresponsible, revisionist, and reflective of a deepening ideological radicalisation within segments of India’s governing elite. The FO said India “would also do well to address the persistent grievances of peoples in its northeast, many of whom continue to face systematic marginalisation, identity-based persecution, and cycles of state-enabled violence.” Reiterating its position on Jammu & Kashmir, the FO said India must take “credible steps toward genuine resolution of the dispute” in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the “aspirations of the Kashmiri people living under occupation.” Pakistan, the statement added, remained committed to peaceful dispute settlement but would “safeguard its security, independence and sovereignty without hesitation.” In early October, the Pakistani military had warned that any future conflict with India could lead to “cataclysmic devastation” and Islamabad would respond “resolutely, without any qualms or restraints”.
ISLAMABAD
staff report
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Sunday voiced deep concern over the 27th Constitutional Amendment, warning that granting lifetime immunity to public office holders has “concentrated unchecked power in the hands of a few” and threatens the foundations of constitutional democracy. Issuing the statement after its 39th annual general meeting, the HRCP highlighted “escalating threats to civic freedoms, judicial independence, and the safety of vulnerable communities across the country.” The commission said the amendment, passed by Parliament on November 13 and assented to by the president the same day, undermines essential checks and balances and erodes public trust in state institutions. Under the 27th Amendment, the president and officers holding the ranks of field marshal, Admiral of the Fleet, and Marshal of the Air Force have been granted lifetime immunity from arrest and all criminal and civil proceedings. The amendment also introduced significant changes to the judicial system and the military chain of command, raising concerns over expanded executive control. The HRCP stressed the importance of empowered and elected local governments in deepening democracy and enhancing citizen participation. It also called for rightsrespecting approaches to security, warning against blanket internet shutdowns in Balochistan and other regions that disrupt education, livelihoods, and democratic engagement. The human rights body urged the government to end enforced disappearances, ensure due process, and halt the use of the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act to suppress dissent. It further condemned harassment, detention, and forced repatriation of Afghan refugees, urging adherence to international protection standards and ratification of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol. Citing custodial torture, extrajudicial killings, and targeted attacks on religious minorities—particularly Ahmadis— the HRCP demanded independent investigations, legal accountability, and protective measures.
Tarar warns PTI’s boycott of by-polls would carry ‘serious political repercussions’ ISLAMABAD
staff report
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Sunday warned that the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf’s (PTI) decision to boycott most constituencies in the by-elections would carry “serious political repercussions,” as he asserted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was well-positioned to “take a clear lead.” Speaking to the media after attending the 29th National Age Group Swimming Championship (Boys) 2025 and the 24th Championship (Girls), he said political boycotts inevitably come at a cost and have no place in democratic practice. Tarar stated that political boycotts carry inevitable costs, emphasizing there was no room for such decisions in democratic practice. He noted that the strong voter turnout in the by-elections signaled public confidence in the government’s performance, adding that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appeared poised to secure a clear lead. He noted that the Sunday’s by-elections witnessed a robust voter turnout, with citizens from across social and economic divides stepping forward to exercise their democratic right. In Lahore, unusually large crowds gathered at polling camps, while Dera Ghazi Khan reported a steady flow of voters throughout the day. Elderly citizens, young people and women turned out in significant numbers, reflecting broad public participation in the electoral process, he said.
Pakistan-Türkiye naval partnership strengthens local industry, boosts regional security: Naval chief CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
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ADMIRAL NAVEED ASHRAF SAYS MILGEM CORVETTE PROJECT SHOWCASES SUCCESSFUL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD
Monitoring report
Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf has said that Islamabad’s growing defense partnership with Türkiye has “significantly strengthened” the country’s local industrial base, calling it one of the region’s most prominent examples of successful technology transfer. In an exclusive interview with Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu News Agency, shared by the Pakistan Navy’s DGPR on X, Admiral Ashraf highlighted that collaboration, particularly in naval shipbuilding, has translated shared ambitions for self-reliance into tangible industrial gains. At the heart of this “success story” is the joint production of MILGEM-class
corvettes, one of Pakistan’s largest defense projects involving a foreign partner. Under a 2018 agreement, Pakistan acquired four MILGEM corvettes from Türkiye’s stateowned ASFAT: two built in Türkiye and two at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works, transferring design, engineering, and project management expertise to Pakistan. Admiral Ashraf described the program as a “living example of Pakistan-Türkiye defense collaboration and technology sharing,” noting that it has “paved the way for future self-reliance in naval shipbuilding.” Looking ahead, the Navy chief said that Islamabad and Ankara can “build on this success to explore joint development of unmanned maritime systems, underwater technologies, and advanced sensors,” calling such partnerships “practical and mutu-
ally beneficial” due to the countries’ shared commitment to self-reliance and innovation. He stressed that the collaboration is not only technical but strategic, emphasizing cooperation against shared regional maritime challenges. Admiral Ashraf noted that Türkiye’s growing naval engagement complements Pakistan’s vision for a secure maritime environment that supports regional stability, connectivity, and economic prosperity, particularly in areas connected to the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He added that regular interactions between the two navies reinforce these shared objectives. Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to rejuvenate its blue economy, Admiral Ashraf spoke about the second Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference
(PIMEC) held earlier this month in Karachi, aimed at showcasing the nation’s maritime potential. Beyond shipbuilding, he said the Navy is progressively incorporating emerging domains such as information dominance and cyber resilience into
training, doctrines, and joint exercises. Cooperation with friendly navies like Türkiye, he added, helps both countries build capabilities in network-centric warfare, electronic warfare, and modern operational concepts to counter evolving threats.