By-elections: Polling underway on 8 NA, 3 Punjab Assembly seats

PESHAWAR, LAHORE, KARACHI: Polling for by-elections on eight National Assembly, and three Punjab  Assembly seats is underway after it began on 8am on Sunday.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan is contesting on seven out of eight NA seats, which he has labelled as “a referendum” on his popularity.

The constituencies where polling is taking place are: NA-22 Mardan-III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII, NA-118 Nankana Sahib -II, NA 157 Multan-IV, NA-237 Malir-II, NA-239 Korangi, Karachi-I.

The by-poll on NA 45, a tribal area seat, has been postponed over law and order situation.

The lower house seats were vacated after NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had accepted the resignations of PTI MNAs — nine on general seats and two on reserved seats for women.

Moreover, by-elections are also being held on three Punjab Assembly seats — PP-241 Bahawal­nagar-V; PP-209 Khanewal-VII, and PP-139 Sheikhupura-V.

The ECP finalised all arrangements for holding by-elections in 11 constituencies — eight of the National Assembly and three of the Punjab Assembly Saturday night. 

A total of 101 candidates from different political parties and independents are taking part in the vote: 52 in Punjab, 33 in Sindh and 16 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In Punjab, 1,434 polling stations are established, 979 in KP, and 340 in Karachi.

special control rooms have been established at central and provincial levels to promptly resolve election-related complaints and hurdles in the conduct of impartial elections.

Meanwhile, chief election commissioner (CEC) has written a letter to Punjab, KP, and Sindh’s chief secretaries, and inspector generals of police to provide comprehensive security to polling staff, candidates, and political parties.