BUREAU REPORT
LAHORE: Voters across Punjab are heading to the polls today (Sunday) as by-elections take place on 13 important constituencies of the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly.
A heavy security presence has been put in place to ensure peaceful conduct throughout the province.
These by-polls—largely prompted by the disqualification of several PTI-backed lawmakers—have sparked heightened political interest, particularly in the Lahore NA-129 and Haripur NA-18 contests.
Polling began at 8am and will continue uninterrupted until 5pm. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is supervising the process under a multilayered security plan involving police, Rangers, and standby military personnel.
Many of the seats fell vacant after lawmakers faced convictions related to the May 9, 2023 unrest following former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest.
National Assembly Seats
Voting is underway in six NA constituencies:
NA-18 Haripur
NA-96 Faisalabad
NA-104 Faisalabad
NA-129 Lahore
NA-143 Sahiwal
NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan
Punjab Assembly By-Polls
Seven provincial seats are also being contested:
PP-79 Sargodha,
PP-87 Mianwali,
PP-98 Faisalabad,
PP-115 Faisalabad,
PP-116 Faisalabad,
PP-203 Sahiwal, and
PP-269 Muzaffargarh.
Over 20,000 police personnel have been deployed across these constituencies. According to the ECP code of conduct, army troops are positioned outside polling stations designated “highly sensitive”, while additional forces remain on standby as a third line of response. Security teams have been instructed to maintain neutrality, deter violence, and allow voters free access—except where safety risks or weapons violations are detected.
Read more: https://nayakashmir.com/eight-suspected-india-backed-militants-killed-in-bannu-operation-ispr/
