Malik Munir Iqbal Channar, representing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has successfully retained the NA-168 Bahawalpur seat in a by-election held after the passing of his father, Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar. Unofficial results from all 292 polling stations indicate that Munir Iqbal received 79,306 votes, significantly surpassing independent candidate Wali Dad Cheema, who garnered 42,623 votes.
The voting process commenced at 8 a.m. on Sunday and continued uninterrupted until 5 p.m. The constituency comprises over 483,000 registered voters. This seat became vacant when Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar, the previous PML-N lawmaker, passed away in August. Subsequently, his son was nominated by the party to contest the by-election.
In a significant development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his congratulations to Munir Iqbal on his electoral success, emphasizing that the outcome reflects the electorate’s enduring trust in PML-N. The prime minister also praised Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channar, Munir’s brother and the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, for his role in the election outcome.
Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the late Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar’s longstanding loyalty to both PML-N and its leader Nawaz Sharif, recognizing his valuable contributions to the party. He noted that the victory of his son symbolizes the continuation of that political allegiance and dedication to public service. Additionally, the prime minister commended the voters of Bahawalpur for actively participating in the democratic process by electing their representative.
This victory marks the Channar family’s return to the National Assembly. In the 2024 general election, Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar had secured NA-168 for PML-N with 124,529 votes. The family also holds influence in provincial politics; before the 2024 general election, PML-N awarded the National Assembly ticket to Iqbal Channar and the Punjab Assembly ticket to his son Zaheer Iqbal Channar.
Prior to contesting the NA-168 by-election, Munir Iqbal served as the deputy mayor of Bahawalpur Municipal Corporation. The main competition in NA-168 was between Munir Iqbal and Wali Dad Cheema, son of former federal minister Tariq Bashir Cheema. Notably, the Pakistan Peoples Party withdrew its candidate and endorsed the PML-N nominee during the campaign, consolidating support behind Munir Iqbal.
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