Polling for by-elections in 21 constituencies of national and provincial assemblies is set to take place today, with strict security measures in place to ensure peaceful elections.
Polling will be held on five National Assembly seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two seats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and two seats of Balochistan Assembly. Polling will start at 8:00 in the morning and continue till 5:00 pm without any break.
The electoral watchdog has established a central control room in Islamabad to monitor the election process. Mobile network services will remain suspended in election constituencies to facilitate uninterrupted and transparent voting.
The central control room established by the Election Commission will handle complaints promptly, ensuring the timely resolution of any issues that arise during the electoral process.
Seats
A total of 47 candidates are vying for seats in five constituencies of the National Assembly. Contests will take place in NA-8 Bajaur, NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan, NA-119 Lahore, NA-132 Kasur, and NA-196 Qambar Shahdadkot District.
Punjab Assembly
In the Punjab Assembly, by-elections will be conducted in 12 constituencies, including PP-22 Chakwal Kam Tala Gang, PP-32 Gujrat, PP-36 Wazirabad, PP-54 Narwal, PP-93 Bhakkar, PP-139 Sheikhupura, PP-147, PP-149, PP-158, PP-164, PP-266 Rahim Yar Khan, and PP-290 DG Khan.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, candidates will compete for seats in two constituencies: PK-22 Bajaur and PK-91 Kohat.
Balochistan Assembly
For Balochistan, by-elections are scheduled for three seats: PB-20 Khuzdar, PB-22 Lasbela, and PB-50 Qila Abdullah.
A total of 191 candidates will vie for victory in 16 provincial assembly constituencies. Over 2.5 million voters are expected to participate in the electoral process and exercise their right to vote.
Security
Upon the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the federal government has deployed the army, adhering to a Code of Conduct issued for personnel of the Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces.
Civil armed forces and military personnel will be deployed to provide fool-proof security, with the army serving as a quick response force until April 22. Police personnel will be stationed at the first level of duty, followed by civil armed forces, and finally, Pakistan Army personnel.
Army and civil armed forces personnel will maintain neutrality during voting and counting, ensuring that they do not interfere with the election officers and staff. Any irregularities will be addressed by the presiding officer, with military forces refraining from taking action without permission.
Mobile Service
In several districts of Balochistan and Punjab, mobile phone services will be suspended on April 21 and 22 to facilitate the uninterrupted conduct of the by-elections.
