By-polls are underway in 21 constituencies across Pakistan – Pakistan

By-elections are underway in 21 constituencies across Pakistan, amid strict security arrangements and a shutdown of internet services. Aaj news reported.

The elections will be held in five National and sixteen Provincial seats in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Polling will continue without interruption from 8am to 5pm for seats vacated by candidates who have won multiple seats or where polling in the February 8 general election has been postponed due to the death of a candidate.

Today, the elections in 21 constituencies have been completed

The elections will take place in five National Assembly seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly seats and two Balochistan Assembly seats. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the re-election in PB 50 Killa Abdullah would also take place on Sunday.

The elections for NA-8 Bajaur and PK-22 Bajaur were postponed on February 8 following the assassination of a candidate, Rehan Zeb Khan. Moreover, the elections will take place in NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan, where the National Assembly seat was ceded by Ali Amin Gandapur, who opted to retain his seat in the provincial assembly to take on the role of KP’s chief minister to take.

Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif vacated her NA-119 seat in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore, choosing instead to retain the PP-159 constituency that she had also won.

By-elections for 21 seats: election campaigns completed

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif won elections for two seats in the provincial and National Assembly. He left PP-158 and PP-164 seats of NA-132 Kasur and Lahore vacant and preferred to retain NA-123 Lahore constituency.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari won two seats in the National Assembly. He retained the NA-194 Larkana constituency, leaving the NA-196 seat in Qamber-Shahdadkot vacant.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has provided 6.23 million ballot papers to relevant Returning Officers (ROs) for the upcoming by-elections in 21 constituencies.

About 2.55 million Pakistanis are expected to participate in the voting for the five National Assembly constituencies, while about 3.61 million people will cast their votes for 16 provincial seats across the country.

A total of 174 candidates are contesting the by-elections to 12 provincial constituencies in Punjab, where the number of voters is around 4.04 million.