LAHORE – In a disgusting event 12 votes of the Punjab MPAs were rejectedtoday being considered invalid by the Election Commission as the lawmakerswere not educated enough to cast a valid vote.

In the senate by elections Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Dr AsadAshraf won the link>link>Senatelink> by-poll over the Punjab seat thatwas vacated after dismissal of Nehal Hashmi.

Ashraf took 298 votes in Punjab Assembly and easily defeated the PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Dr Zarqa who only managed to get 38 votesfrom the provincial lawmakers.

Out of the 368 seats in the provincial assembly, votes were casted by only346 members. The 300 legislators of PML-N casted their votes while othernine remained absent with two vote rejected.

Eight MPAs belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party did not come to cast theirvotes. A total of 12 votes were rejected in thelink>link>Senatelink> by polls.

Maryam Nawaz congratulated the winning candidate on Twitter and criticisedthose who claimed of a split in the party.