By-election: Voting in Karachi’s PS-94 underway amid tight security

KARACHI: The polling for by-election on PS-94 (Korangi) has started amid tight security at all polling stations in the constituency, ARY News reported.

The total registered voters in the constituency are 246, 477, of which 136,808 are male voters and 109, 641 female votes. CCTV cameras have been installed across 149 polling stations. All polling stations have been declared extremely sensitive.

Arrangements had been finalized by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the by-polls.

The polling started at 8am and will continue till 5pm, without any interruption.

As many as 149 polling stations have been set up for PS-94 by-polls, while 16 candidates are contesting for the sea, said the ECP.

The electoral body on Thursday (January 17) had decided to deploy Army and Rangers personnel in and outside all the polling stations to ensure security and transparency of the polling process.

“Rangers personnel would be deployed in and outside all the polling stations; however Army would remain alert as quick response force to support the paramilitary force during the election process in the constituency,” ECP’s notification read.

The seat fell vacant on November 27 after the death of Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan’s MPA Muhammad Wajahat, who was suffering from cancer.

Wajahat had won the seat in the general elections by securing 32,729 votes; however his contender Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s candidate Muhammad Shoaibur Rehman had bagged 14,030 votes.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate Fareedullah and Muhajir Quami Movement-Haqiqi’s (MQM-H) candidate Arif Azam ranked third and fourth by bagging 13,636 votes and 10,828 votes, respectively.