Polling underway in Jhang by-election

JHANG: Polling for Punjab Assembly constituency PP-78 Jhang by-election  begins Thursday morning under tight security arrangements, ARY News reported.

According to details, 25 candidates including a transgender are contesting the by-election from the constituency. A tough contest is expected between Azad Nasir Ansari of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Maulana Masroor Nawaz (Independent).

Sarfaraz Rabbani of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Sheikh Irfah Majeed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Naseem Qadri of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) are also contesting the by-election.

According to Election Commission of Pakistan the provincial constituency having 2,06,562 registered voters, which include 1,08,627 males and 97,935 females.

The election commission has arranged 171 polling stations for the by-election and all of them have been declared sensitive. Contingents of Pakistan Army and Rangers have been deployed in the constituency to ensure security.

The assembly seat fell vacant after Supreme Court of Pakistan had disqualified PML-N MNA Rashida Yaqoob Sheikh.