At least two people are said to have been killed, and eight others have been wounded as PTI and PLML-N workers clash during NA-75 by-elections.
The incident took place at Gondka polling station where three people were shot, two of them later succumbed to their injures while being transferring to hospital.
The deceased have been identified as Majid belonging from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Zeeshan, a Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) worker.
A total of eight people are reported to have been wounded in various violent confrontations between PML-N and PTI workers throughout the constituency.
Voting process was suspended at 15 polling stations out of the total 360.
In a statement, Dr Shahbaz Gill – SAPM on Political Communication, has claimed that Javed Butt – PML-N goon, is responsible for Majid’s death who was a PTI worker.
PML-N is a political party of goons and thugs, said Shahbaz Gill.
اطلاعات کے مطابق مسلم لیگ ن کے غنڈے جاوید بٹ بے پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے کارکن ماجد کو گولیاں مار کر قتل کر دیا اور ساجد کو شدید زخمی کر دیا۔ ن لیگ گلو بٹوں اور جاوید بٹ جیسے غنڈوں کی جماعت ہے۔ یہ جرائم پیشہ لوگ ہیں۔ سیاست تو صرف ایک لبادہ ہے-ایک ایک قطرہ خون کا حساب لئیا جائے گا
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) February 19, 2021
Meanwhile, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan – SAPM to CM Punjab on Information, has also condemned the violence and has accused PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah of orchestrating and organizing the violence against PTI workers.
ضمنی الیکشن NA75 میں ن لیگ کی روایتی غنڈہ گردی کا سلسلہ رانا ثناءاللہ کی سربراہی میں جاری! پرامن پولنگ پراسس کو پرائیویٹ گن مینز کی فائرنگ سے پر تشدد بناکر PTI ووٹرز کو ہراساں کیا جارہا ہے۔ پولیس شر پسند عناصر کےخلاف فوری الیکشن لے۔#بلے_پہ_ٹھپہ
— Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousAwan) February 19, 2021
Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the firing incident and has directed IGP Punjab to submit a report on the incident.
It is pertinent to know that NA-75 and PP-51 seats were vacated after PML-N’s MNA Syed Iftikhar-ud-Din and MPA Chaudhry Shaukat Manzoor Cheema passed away in August and June 2020
Both PTI and PML-N are fiercely contesting the by-elections; PTI has fielded Ali Asjad whereas PML-N’s Noshin Iftikhar is contesting the NA-75 by-elections
