Polling for by-election underway in Sindh, Balochistan constituencies

KARACHI: Voting on two seats of Sindh, Karachi’s PS-88 and Sanghar’s PS-43, as well as Pishin’s PB-20 in Balochistan is underway during the by-elections on Tuesday, ARY News reported.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) organised by-elections on two vacant seats of Sindh and one from Balochistan Assembly today. The voting process began at 8:00 am which will be continued till 5:00 pm.

Strict security arrangements have been made during the by-polls as Rangers personnel are performing security duty outside the polling stations, whereas, police officials are deployed inside the polling stations.

Twenty candidates are taking part in the by-elections in Karachi’s PS-88 Malir where a tough contest is expected between Jansher Junejo from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Muhammad Yousuf Baloch from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Sajid Ahmed from Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and Syed Kashif Ali from Tahreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). 16 independent candidates are also contesting the by-polls.

The constituency has a total of 145,627 registered voters including 81,425 male and 64,202 female voters. The election commission established 108 polling stations including 33 declared ‘most sensitive’ and 27 ‘sensitive’.

Thirty-three out of the total 108 polling stations have been declared ‘most sensitive’ and 27 declared ‘sensitive’ during the by-election.

In Sanghar’s PS-43, a close contest is expected between PPP’s Shabbir Ali Khan and PTI candidate Mushtaq Junejo, whereas, five independent candidates are also taking part in the polls.

In Balochistan’s PB-20 Pishin-III, the voting process has started in 113 polling stations where the election commission established 343 polling booths. Three polling stations have been declared ‘most sensitive’, 91 sensitive and 19 normal during the polls.

The constituency has 99,849 registered voters including 58,126 male and 41,723 female.

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had barred security officials to enter the women polling stations prior to getting permission during the upcoming by-polls in two constituencies of Sindh.

The election commission had also banned usage o mobile phones in the polling stations including polling staff and agents. Under the regulations, only presiding officers (POs) will be allowed to use mobile phones during the election.