ISLAMABAD: The initial report of biometric voting machines used in the by-election for National Assembly constituency NA-120, Lahore-III was submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday.

Briefing the media here, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob said the machines had a success rate of 88 per cent, while unverified votes comprised remaining 12 per cent.

He said that 22,181 individuals cast their vote through 100 biometric machines in Lahore by-polls.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Muslim League?Nawaz candidate Begum Kulsoom Nawaz on Sunday won the closely contested by-election for her husband Nawaz Sharif?s ?home seat? NA-120, Lahore-III.

She managed to attain 61,254 votes, while her competitor, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf?s Dr. Yasmin Rashid attained 47,066 votes, according to unofficial and unverified results.

"The thumb impressions of 19,520 voters were verified using these machines," the ECP secretary said, adding that the entire process was held on trial basis.

He, however, said the number of unverified voters could also increase.

"The number of educated masses was comparatively higher in NA-120, but the use of biometric machines in rural areas would result in increase in number of unverified voters," Yaqoob explained.

He said the ECP has been striving for the use of modern technology in elections, while the election act includes a section allowing use of biometric voting machines on trial basis.