PML-N's Azma Bukhari slams PTI's rigging allegations after Sambrial by-election defeat
Pakistan
Sambrial verdict: Voters reject PTI’s narrative, says Punjab Info Minister
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari responded to PTI leader Waqas Akram’s press conference, calling his rigging allegations “shameful” following what she described as a “humiliating defeat” in the Sambrial by-election.
Bukhari criticised PTI for raising doubts over the electoral process after losing by a margin of 39,000 votes, stating that the people of Sambrial have clearly rejected the PTI and its anti-state narrative.
She cited the findings of an independent election monitoring body, FAFEN (Free and Fair Election Network), which reported that presiding officers provided Form-45 to polling agents and that 116 out of 121 agents interviewed expressed satisfaction with the voting process.
More to read: PTI leader bemoans 'rigging' in Sambrial election
According to Bukhari, PML-N’s vote share increased from 41% to 59% in Sambrial, while PTI’s share dropped from 35% to 29%, as per FAFEN's data. She said the report is a reality check for PTI and those aligned with its political agenda.
“The PTI's habit of blaming police and district administration instead of accepting defeat is nothing new,” she said. “The people have once again rejected the divisive politics of the PTI founder.”
Bukhari further asserted that Punjab now supports the politics of public service led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, noting that the Sambrial seat has historically been a stronghold of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and remains undefeated.
