LAHORE: Polling time has ended for the by-elections in 6 National Assembly and 7 Punjab Assembly constituencies, and the counting of votes is now underway.
Polling began at 8 AM and continued until 5 PM in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, and Haripur.
During voting in NA-104 Faisalabad, a disabled husband and wife arrived at the polling station to cast their votes.
In Sargodha, a groom arrived with his wedding procession to vote as well. The groom cast his vote at the office of the Assistant Commissioner Kot Momin and said he preferred voting before taking his wedding party.
At PP-269 Government Girls High School Karam Daad polling station, chaos broke out when supporters of the PPP and an independent candidate accused each other of rigging, forcing authorities to temporarily halt polling.
According to the spokesperson of the Punjab Election Commissioner, strict security arrangements were in place at all polling stations.
Mobile phones were not allowed inside polling stations, and control rooms were set up in Islamabad and the Punjab Election Commissioner’s office.
Out of 2,792 polling stations, 408 were declared highly sensitive and 1,032 sensitive, with over 20,000 personnel deployed for security.
In NA-18 Haripur, nine candidates are contesting. A tough competition is expected between PTI-backed independent candidate Shehrnaz, PML-N’s Babar Nawaz Khan, and PPP’s Erm Fatima.
This seat became vacant after PTI’s Omar Ayub was sentenced and disqualified in the May 9 case.
In NA-96 Faisalabad, 16 candidates are running. PML-N’s Talal Badar Chaudhry faces competition mainly from independent candidates.
This seat was vacated after PTI’s Rai Haider Ali Kharal was disqualified.
In NA-104 Faisalabad, PML-N’s Raja Danial is competing against four independent candidates.
The seat became vacant after the conviction of SIC Chairman Hamid Raza in the May 9 case.
In NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan, eight candidates are in the race, with a close contest expected between PML-N’s Mahmood Qadir Laghari and PPP’s Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa.
This seat was vacated following the conviction and disqualification of PTI’s Zartaj Gul Wazir in the May 9 case.
