Voting has begun for by-elections in six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly constituencies. Polling will continue without interruption until 5 pm.
The by-elections started on schedule. Citizens began arriving early in the morning to cast their votes.
In NA-129, covering densely populated areas of Lahore, polling stations have also opened. There has been a noticeable turnout at the camps of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Tight security arrangements have been implemented for the elections. Special provisions have been made for the convenience of voters, including the elderly and women.
The Punjab government has deployed teams from the “Clean Punjab” initiative to manage sanitation at polling stations.
Supporters were present at the camps of Pakistan Muslim League (N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and other political parties.
Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in a post on the social media platform X, urged people to come out of their homes and use their right to vote. “Two by-elections are being held today in southern Punjab,” Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said.
“Our candidate from PP-269 Muzaffargarh is Mian Almdar Qureshi,” he said. “From NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan, Dost Muhammad Khosa is the Pakistan Peoples Party candidate,” he added.
“I appeal to the people of Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan to come out, vote, and raise their voice,” Bilawal urged.
He instructed party workers to remember that they must not leave the polling station without obtaining Form-45.
Rigging allegations
Chaudhry Arsalan, an independent candidate backed by PTI contesting in NA-129 in Lahore, visited polling stations today. “Complaints are coming in from various polling stations,” Chaudhry Arsalan said.
“Our camps are being raided, and polling agents have been detained. I will personally visit the polling stations shortly,” he added.
“Our voters have come out, and victory will be ours,” Chaudhry Arsalan said.
Meanwhile, PTI-backed MPA Mun Javed alleged rigging.
“At most polling stations in the constituency, our people are being stopped. Complaints are coming in from everywhere, and we are visiting the sites,” he said.
“When we go to inspect, they evade us. We will guard our votes everywhere,” Mun Javed added.
Low turnout reported in NA-129
PTI’s Hammad Azhar has accused the Punjab police of reportedly disrupting a PTI camp at Pak Angel School in UC-100, NA-129. He added that party workers have started efforts to restore the camp.
Police have reportedly restricted media coverage at polling stations in NA-129 in Lahore, prohibiting the use of cameras and mobile phones.
Voter turnout appears to be very low. At the Bank Colony polling booth, only 23 votes have been cast out of 1,036 registered female voters.
A female voter expressed frustration at the polling arrangements, saying, “Polling booths have been deliberately placed far away. I had to come all the way to Bank Colony from my residence in Choburji to cast my vote.”
PP-269 Muzaffargarh scuffle
Voting at the Karamdad polling station in PP-269 Muzaffargarh was temporarily suspended due to a dispute between two groups.
Law enforcement authorities confirmed that polling has now resumed.
Dera Ghazi Khan
Voter turnout started early in the morning, with citizens arriving at polling stations steadily, at NA-185 in Dera Ghazi Khan.
PPP’s Dost Muhammad Khosa and PML-N’s Mahmood Qadir Khan Leghari are locked in a competitive fight.
Despite running on a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ticket, Khosa has managed to tap into the PTI vote bank. Local analysts believe that if he succeeds in securing meaningful PTI support, “he might even spring a surprise”.
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