All is set to hold by-elections on 11 seats of National Assembly in different parts of the country on Sunday (October 14). Seats up for grabs include eight from Punjab and one each from KP, Islamabad and Karachi.
The National Assembly seats where by-polls will be held are NA-35 (Bannu), NA-53 (Islamabad-I), NA-56 (Attock-Ii), NA-60 (Rawalpindi-IV), NA-63 (Rawalpindi-VII), NA-65 (Chakwal-II), NA-69 (Gujrat-II), NA-103 (Faisalabad-III), NA-124 (Lahore-II), NA-131 (Lahore-IX) and NA-243 (Karachi East-2).
Out of these 11 seats, six were won by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the July 25 general election. PTI Chief and Prime Minister Imran Khan had won on four seats while party leaders Tahir Sadiq and Ghulam Sarwar Khan won on one seat each.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Hamza Shehbaz also vacated a NA seat to take up the role of opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly while two seats by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid were vacated by its chief Pervez Elahi who was elected as Punjab Assembly speaker.
On July 25, the Election Commission of Pakistan had postponed election in NA-60, after PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi was disqualified in a corruption case, and NA-103, a candidate of which passed away before the election. Big names contesting in the by-poll include PML-N's Saad Rafique, PTI's Humayun Akhtar and Pakistan Peoples Party's Asim Mehmood from NA-131, Lahore-IX.
From NA-124, former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PTI's Ghulam Moheyuddin Deewan and PPP's Shahbaz Mehmood Bhatti are in the run. Ali Gohar Khan is contesting on a PML-N ticket while PTI's Muhammad Saadullah will contest for the NA-103 seat.
From NA-243, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's Amir Waliuddin, PTI's Alamgir Khan and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's Syed Nawaz are taking part in the poll contest. In addition, Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rasheed's nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafique and Pervez Elahi's son Moonis Elahi are contesting from NA-69. The Election Commission of Pakistan has finalized necessary arrangements for the polls. The candidates as well as political parties held public gathering corners meeting before the election drive ends Friday night.
Moreover, a high-level meeting was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Friday to review security arrangements for the upcoming by-elections.
The chief minister was informed that 4759 polling stations have been established for eight NA and 11 provincial assembly seats in Punjab. Polling stations have been categorized according to security needs while 807 sensitive polling stations will be monitored through CCTV cameras.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister reiterated that every effort will be made for holding of transparent and impartial by-elections and added that display of weapons will be totally banned. In case of any violation, the law will come into force, he added.
He directed that no incident of jubilant firing or fireworks should occur and all the related arrangements should be completed well in advance. The Home Secretary gave a briefing about the security arrangements made with regard to the by-elections. The Chief Secretary, Secretary Home, high officials of police and law enforcement agencies attended the meeting.
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