PTI forms fact-finding committee after shock Lodhran defeat

ISLAMABAD: In the aftermath of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf's (PTI) surprise defeat in the NA-154 Lodhran by-polls, the party on Tuesday constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the possible reasons behind the loss. 

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won the by-polls for the constituency of NA-154 Lodhran, according to unofficial results on Monday. 

The former secretary general of PTI, Jahangir Tareen, has been appointed as the head of the committee, which will inquire into reasons for the defeat of the party from a seat believed to be a stronghold of PTI. 

The fact-finding mission constituted by PTI will submit its report to Chairman Imran Khan in a week's time. 

PML-N’s Iqbal Shah managed to attain 113,542 votes, while his competitor, PTI's Ali Tareen, contesting his first election on his father’s seat, attained 85,933 votes. 

PML-N won by a margin of 27,609 votes according to provisional results.

The seat fell vacant in the wake of the disqualification of PTI leader Jahangir Tareen by the Supreme Court in December 2017. Considered the home ground of Tareen, PTI had won the seat with a margin of around 40,000 votes in a previous by-election in 2015.

PTI fielded Jahangir's son Ali Tareen, the PML-N Iqbal Shah and PPP Mirza Mohammad Ali Baig. Seven other candidates were contesting as independents. 

The government had deployed 4,000 security personnel, including army personnel, in the constituency in view of avoiding any unforeseen development and to ensure free and fair conduct.