Peshawar: In a significant political development, independent candidate Mishal Yousafzai has won the Senate by-election in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly with a clear majority. The seat became vacant following the resignation of former Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar.
According to unofficial and unconfirmed results, Mishal secured 86 votes, defeating opposition-backed candidate Mehtab Zafar, who received 53 votes. Another independent, Saima Khalid, secured only 1 vote, while 3 votes were rejected. Out of 145 assembly members, 143 cast their votes.
PTI-Backed Victory Reflects Party Discipline
Mishal Yousafzai had recently been officially nominated by PTI on the direct instructions of party founder Imran Khan. The party’s chairman, Barrister Gohar, issued the official notification, and all other PTI-affiliated candidates were instructed to withdraw by July 30.
While her nomination did raise some eyebrows in political circles, Maryam Riaz Wattoo, sister of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, clarified that Bushra Bibi had no role or influence in the nomination and that no favoritism was involved.
Mishal’s win is being viewed as a symbol of PTI’s continued influence and internal discipline in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—especially at a time when by-elections for Senate seats are being actively contested by multiple parties across the country.
