Pakistan polling starts:

In this Nov 15, 2012 file photo, a young girl in her colorful dress reaches out to greet a Pakistani policeman securing the

road outside Kainat Riaz’s home in Mingora, Swat Valley, Pakistan. (AP)

northeastern province of Takhar, provincial governor spokesman Mohammad Jawad Hejri told AFP.

Most of the 22 killed and 36 wounded were civilians, he said.

Provincial health director Hafizullah Safi put the death toll slightly higher at 23.

In the western province of Herat, two gunmen attacked the campaign office of a candidate in Injeel district, killing two people, provincial governor spokesman Jailani Farhad said. (AFP)

Polling for the by-elections on 35 constituencies of the National and Provincial Assemblies of Pakistan was underway on Sunday across the country with people turning to the polling stations to exercise their right of vote.

Around 375 candidates are in the run for the elections to be held on 11 National Assemblies and 24 Provincial Assemblies’ seats. The polling started in the morning and will continue until 05:00 pm local time.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has printed 9.5 million ballot papers for the by-elections in which 641 candidates are contesting.

Over 9 million (9,208,374) voters are eligible to cast their votes in the polling for which 7,489 polling stations have been

Yameen

Bibi

set up.

The by-polls are taking place in the constituencies that fell vacant after the general elections in the country on July 25. (AFP)