Vote count underway for by-election in Sindh, Balochistan constituencies

KARACHI: The polling on two seats of Sindh, Karachi’s PS-88 and Sanghar’s PS-43, as well as Pishin’s PB-20 in Balochistan has ended and the vote count is currently underway, ARY News reported.

The polling started at 8 am and continued till 5 pm without any break.

Strict security arrangements were 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.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh was arrested by police for violating the orders of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) amid the voting process during PS-88 by-polls.

The election commission took strict action against Haleem Adil Sheikh who was roaming freely in the PS-88 constituency along with his armed guards during the by-elections besides paying visits to different 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.