PML-N demands vote recount in Bahawalpur's PP-249 after close election

The political temperature in Bahawalpur's PP-249 constituency rose on Sunday as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate, Qazi Adnan Farid, formally requested a recount of votes.

This comes after Sahibzada Ghazain Abbasi of the Nawab of Bahawalpur group was declared the winner by a narrow margin of 7,359 votes.

According to official results, Abbasi secured 42,484 votes, while Farid garnered 35,125 votes. However, the PML-N alleges discrepancies in the counting process and believes a recount will reveal irregularities in their favour.

Farid submitted his application for a recount to the returning officer, citing concerns about potential miscounting and manipulation of results. The PML-N leadership has expressed strong reservations about the outcome, claiming that their candidate's true vote tally was significantly higher.

This development adds to the ongoing political tensions in Pakistan following the recently concluded elections. Several parties across the country have raised similar concerns about the fairness of the polls and demanded recounts or re-elections.