Fierce fights expected today as voters head to crucial by-polls in PTI bastions

• Most seats fell vacant after May 9 riots-related disqualifications.
• Key contests in Haripur, Faisalabad, Chak Jhumra, Muzaffargarh.
• Several constituencies have crowded race with many independents.

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By-elections are being held today across six National Assembly seats and another seven in the Punjab Assembly, with most of the activity centred in Haripur and Faisalabad; however, Chak Jhumra, Muzaffargarh, Sargodha and DG Khan also have busy contests lined up.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the election material, including ballot papers, has safely reached the polling stations, foolproof security arrangements have been made, and specific instructions have been issued to authorities concerned to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections.

Haripur (NA-18)

In Haripur, nine candidates are vying for a seat in NA-18. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent Shehrnaz Omar Ayub is among the front-runners, with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Babar Nawaz Khan and Pakistan People’s Party’s ( PPP) Erum Fatima also in the mix.

Six other independent candidates have filed their papers as well. The constituency has a little over 753,000 voters, and 602 polling stations are operating today. The seat had fallen vacant after PTI leader Omar Ayub’s disqualification in a May 9 case.

Faisalabad (NA-96, NA-104, PP-116, PP-115)

Faisalabad has a busy day with four seats up for grabs. NA-96 alone has 16 people contesting, with PML-N’s Talal Badar Chaudhry facing a long list of independents. There are 587,124 registered voters here and 345 polling stations. The seat was left empty after PTI’s Rai Haider Ali Kharal was unseated.

NA-104 is a smaller field, where PML-N’s Raja Daniyal is up against four independents. The constituency has around 557,000 voters and 375 polling stations. Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Sahibzada Hamid Raza, had held this seat before his disqualification. PP-116 features PML-N’s Rana Shehryar and five independents.

There are 190 polling stations for roughly 276,000 voters. The seat became vacant after Muhammad Ismail Sila’s disqualification in a May 9 case. In PP-115, five candidates are in the race. PML-N’s Tahir Jamil is the main party-backed candidate, while the rest are independents. The seat was vacated after PTI’s Sheikh Shahid Javed was disqualified.

Chak Jhumra (PP-98)

PP-98 has ten candidates. A close contest is expected between PML-N’s Azad Ali Tabbasum and independent Muhammad Ajmal Cheema.

There are 171 polling stations for nearly 290,000 voters. The seat had fallen empty after PTI’s Junaid Afzal Sahi was unseated and later sentenced in a May 9 case.

Muzaffargarh (PP-269)

In PP-269, 17 candidates are trying their chances. PPP’s Alamdar Abbas Qureshi faces competition from independents Iqbal Khan and Abdul Hai Dasti.

The seat opened up after Qureshi stepped down before a recount request by Iqbal Khan was to be taken up.

Sargodha (PP-73)

PP-73 has five candidates in total. PML-N’s Mian Sultan Ali Ranjha is up against four independents. The seat was declared vacant after PTI’s Ansar Iqbal Heral was disqualified and later given a 10-year sentence in a May 9 case.

Dera Ghazi Khan (NA-185)

Eight candidates are contesting NA-185. A close fight is likely between PML-N’s Mahmood Qadir Leghari and PPP’s Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa.

There are 226 polling stations set up — separate stations for men and women, along with mixed ones. The seat became vacant after Zartaj Gul Wazir’s disqualification.

Lahore (NA-129)

NA-129 is in focus as PTI and PML-N face off, with the ruling party aiming to reclaim the seat while PTI contests without its symbol.

Over 550,000 voters will choose a new representative following the death of former Punjab Governor Mian Muhammad Azhar, father of ex-PTI minister Hammad Azhar. Mian Azhar had won the seat in 2024 as a PTI-backed independent before joining the Sunni Ittehad Council.

Chaudhry Arsalan Ahmad, Mian Azhar’s nephew, is nominated by Hammad Azhar, while PML-N’s Hafiz Mian Nauman, who lost to Mian Azhar by over 30,000 votes in 2024, is his main rival.

All set for by-polls

As per the code of conduct released for the armed forces/civil armed forces, the personnel will perform their duties in accordance with the role of the Armed Forces defined in Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the law and within the confines of the mandate assigned to the Armed Forces to assist the ECP.

Their deployment is meant for the provision of a secure environment for easy and secure access of voters to the polling station. Wherein, the police will be 1st tier responders, while civil armed forces as 2nd tier responders (standby/ quick reaction mode only) and Pakistan Army as 3rd tier responders (in-situ Quick Reaction Force Mode).

The code of conduct outlines that security personnel are to be deployed outside selected highly sensitive polling stations and must concentrate exclusively on ensuring a secure environment. 

They must not disallow any eligible voter from entering, except those found possessing weapons, explosives or creating a disturbance. The personnel are not to assume the duties of polling staff, take custody of any election material, or interfere in the functions of polling officials or the counting process.

Meanwhile, the ECP has also issued a code of conduct for the media, emphasising that unofficial results from a polling station should not be broadcast until at least one hour after polling concludes. Such results must be clearly indicated as unofficial and partial.

Broadcasters are warned that violations will lead the commission to approach the authorities concerned for disciplinary action. Only the Returning Officer concerned is authorised to release the final and official result of any constituency.