The NA-77 by-election result gave the PML-N a clear win in Gujranwala on Sunday, as Rashid Basheer Virk won the seat with 43,365 votes, according to unofficial results. His nearest rival, Mohammad Ibrahim Gujjar of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), polled 30,218 votes.
The result rests on the Form-47 seen by Dawn, the provisional consolidated statement of results prepared by the returning officer. It gives Virk a winning margin of 13,147 votes. Eleven candidates contested the seat, which fell vacant after the death of his father, Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk, a five-time MNA, on September 11.
Polling for both by-elections took place on Sunday, with voting held from 8am to 5pm. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) described the process as uninterrupted and largely peaceful. Turnout stood at 15.7 per cent in NA-77. The PTI boycotted both by-elections, and the PPP did not field a candidate in the constituency.
The PML-N also retained PP-203 in Chichawatni, with Dunya News confirming the party’s win in both seats. Asad Hanif Jutt won that seat with 42,114 votes, against 24,512 for Muhammad Awais Mahmood of Tehreek-i-Ehsas Pakistan, according to its Form-47. Turnout there was 27.6 per cent.
NA-77 by-election result in numbers
Virk’s 43,365 votes came from all 333 polling stations in a constituency with more than 518,000 registered voters. The gap between the top two candidates was 13,147 votes.
Participation fell sharply against the 2024 general election, when Mehmood Bashir Virk won the seat with 109,704 votes against 91,825 for Rashida Tariq. On Sunday, the top two candidates together polled 73,583 votes, against more than 200,000 for the top two in 2024.
A family seat, kept
The NA-77 seat fell vacant after the death of Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk on September 11. His son Rashid contested it on the PML-N ticket, against 10 other candidates.
The PML-N has now held both family seats.
Code of conduct complaints
On Saturday, the ECP took notice of an alleged violation of the Code of Conduct by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who visited the constituency by helicopter and addressed a campaign event for Rashid. The code bars public office holders from taking part in campaign activities.
The commission sought reports from election officials and directed the minister to appear before it. According to a cause list issued on Sunday, Tarar, along with Virk and others, has been summoned to appear at the next hearing on November 12. The ECP also said the result of the constituency could be withheld until a final decision is made on the matter.
Notices were also issued to several PML-N lawmakers for alleged violations after reports that they had visited polling stations in NA-77. They included Punjab MPA Qudsia Batool, MNA Saira Afzal Tarar and Parliamentary Secretary Shazia Rizwan, along with MNA Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar and MPA Hina Arshad Warraich. Notices were also issued to PML-N MPAs Malik Qasim Nadeem and Motiya Begum for allegedly visiting polling stations in PP-203 on polling day.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari also claimed on X that supporters of PMML candidate Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar were caught “openly stamping ballots” with election staff present. The returning officer has been directed to probe the matter and submit a report.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz posted on X after polling and claimed her party led in both seats. “This electoral victory is no ordinary victory. It is a resounding public rebuke to conspiracy peddlers, hate mongers and those who refuse to read the writing on the wall,” she wrote.
What happens next
The results remain unofficial until the ECP confirms them. The Form-47 figures give the shape of the outcome, but the commission’s decision on the Tarar case will decide whether the NA-77 result stands or is withheld.
If the result is withheld, the constituency will stay undecided until the commission rules. The hearing on November 12 is the next step.
The by-elections came as a parliamentary panel on electoral reforms is being formed, and a proposal for 12 provinces is being debated. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also briefed Nawaz Sharif on K-P security and economic challenges, while the PML-N has hit back at corruption allegations in Punjab.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the NA-77 by-election?
PML-N candidate Rashid Basheer Virk won with 43,365 votes, according to unofficial results based on the Form-47.
Who finished second in NA-77?
Mohammad Ibrahim Gujjar of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League finished second with 30,218 votes. The winning margin was 13,147 votes.
Why was a by-election held in NA-77?
The seat fell vacant after PML-N MNA Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk, a five-time MNA, died on September 11, 2026. His son Rashid contested the seat.
Are the NA-77 results final?
No. The results are unofficial and await formal confirmation by the Election Commission of Pakistan, which has said the result could be withheld until it decides a code of conduct case against Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
What happened in PP-203?
PML-N candidate Asad Hanif Jutt won with 42,114 votes, beating Muhammad Awais Mahmood of Tehreek-i-Ehsas Pakistan (24,512). Turnout was 27.6 per cent.
