Amid stringent security measures and internet service shutdowns, Pakistan is witnessing by-elections across 21 constituencies . These elections span 5 National Assembly and 16 provincial Assembly seats in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.
The polling, scheduled from 8 am to 5 pm, fills seats vacated due to candidates winning multiple seats or delayed polling in the February 8 general elections following a candidate’s demise.
The by-polls cover 5 National Assembly seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly seats, and two Balochistan Assembly seats. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also announced re-polling in PB-50 Killa Abdullah on Sunday.
Postponed polling from February 8, including NA-8 Bajaur and PK-22 Bajaur due to a candidate’s assassination, will take place. NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan’s polling resumes after Ali Amin Gandapur relinquished the seat to become KP’s chief minister.
Prominent figures like Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vacated seats in Lahore, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari left a seat in Qamber-Shahdadkot.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) distributed 6.23 million ballot papers for the by-elections, expecting 2.55 million voters for National Assembly and 3.61 million for provincial assembly seats. Punjab alone anticipates approximately 4.04 million voters with 174 candidates contesting.
