BAHAWALPUR: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Munir Iqbal Channar has won the NA-168 Bahawalpur by-election, retaining the National Assembly seat for the ruling party.
According to unofficial and unconfirmed results from all 292 polling stations, Munir Iqbal secured 79,306 votes. Independent candidate Wali Dad Cheema finished second with 42,623 votes.
Polling began at 8am on Sunday and continued until 5pm without interruption. The constituency has more than 483,000 registered voters.
The seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N lawmaker Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar in August. The party later awarded the ticket to his son, Munir Iqbal, for the by-election.
Shehbaz Congratulates Munir Iqbal
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Munir Iqbal on his victory and described the result as an expression of public confidence in the PML-N.
The prime minister also congratulated Munir Iqbal’s brother, Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channar, on the election result.
Shehbaz said the late Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar had remained loyal to the PML-N and its leader Nawaz Sharif for a long period.
He added that the victory of his son reflected the continuation of that political association and public service.
“Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar rendered valuable services to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, and the victory of his son is a reflection of the continuation of that loyalty and public service,” the prime minister said.
Shehbaz also praised Bahawalpur voters for participating in the electoral process and electing their representative.
Channar Family Retains National Assembly Seat
The result keeps the National Assembly seat with the Channar family.
Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar had won NA-168 for the PML-N in the 2024 general election. Munir Iqbal later received the party ticket following his father’s death.
Munir Iqbal had previously served as deputy mayor of the Bahawalpur Municipal Corporation before contesting the by-election.
The contest largely centred on Munir Iqbal and Wali Dad Cheema, the son of former federal minister Tariq Bashir Cheema.
The Pakistan Peoples Party had also withdrawn its candidate and announced support for the PML-N nominee during the campaign.
The latest figures remain unofficial and unconfirmed. The Election Commission of Pakistan will issue the final official result.
