By-polls: Tough contest seen between PTI, PML-N
islamabad – Unofficial results showed a tough fight between the two major political parties, the Pakistan Tehreen-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N), after a day-long polling process for by-election on 35 National and provincial assemblies’ seats.
Polling began at 8am on Sunday morning and continued till 5pm without any break, under the supervision of Pakistan Army personnel.
Over 100 candidates are vying for 35 national and provincial assembly seats, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Over 9.9 million ballot papers were printed for the by-election on 11 seats of National Assembly, nine of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, 11 of Punjab and two each of Balochistan and Sindh assemblies.
In Lahore, there are contests on NA-124 and NA-131, Rawalpindi (NA-60 and NA-63), Chakwal (NA65), Gujrat (NA-69), Faisalabad (NA-103) and Attock (NA-56).
There will be contest on 11 Punjab Assembly seats — two in Lahore (PP-164 and 165), Faisalabad (PP103), Toba Tek Singh (PP-118), Attock (PP-3), Jhelum (PP-27), Sahiwal (PP-201), Multan (PP-222), Muzaffargarh (PP-272), Rahim Yar Khan (PP-264) and DG Khan (PP292).
In Karachi, the PTI is expected to face tough competition from its ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
This is the first time that overseas Pakistanis also cast their votes in the by-elections.
According to data provided by the ECP, over five million registered voters, including 2.3 million women and over 2.7 million men, cast their votes in 7,489 polling stations across the country, of which 1,727 polling stations have been declared sensitive.
The proportion of most sensitive polling stations is highest in Balochistan (68.02 per cent), followed by KP (34.98pc), Sindh (20.20pc) and Punjab (16.32pc).
Security cameras were installed at all the sensitive polling stations which were guarded by army troops. Army troops would remain deployed till tomorrow, a day after the polling. —