ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked the candidates contesting by-elections to eight National and three Provincial Assembly seats to end their election campaign until 12:00 am midnight Friday.
According to ECP, all the parties and their candidates had been directed to end their political campaign and public meetings from the midnight falling between Oct 14 and 15, 2022. While no candidate or party leader would address gatherings or corner meetings or take out processions in their respective constituencies after the deadline.
The political parties and the candidates must follow the provision of law and exercise self-restraint to enable polls could be held in peaceful manner on October 16, 2022. Legal action would be taken against those political leaders and parties on violating the rule.
By-elections are being held in 11 constituencies including six constituencies of Punjab, three of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two constituencies of Sindh on Sunday (tomorrow).
The constituencies included NA-22 Mardan-III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII, NA-118 Nankana Sahib-II, NA-237 Malir-II, NA-239, Korangi, Karachi-I. NA-157 Multan-IV. Provincial Assembly constituencies included PP-139 Sheikhupura-V, PP-209 Khanewal-VII, and PP-241 Bahawalnagar-V. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan is contesting by-elections in seven out of eight constituencies of the National Assembly.
The by-polls in NA-45 Kurram-I has been postponed due to law and order situation and polling date will be announced later.
The NA seats were vacated after speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had, on July 28, accepted the resignations of PTI MNAs — nine on general seats and two on reserved seats for women.
The lawmakers whose resignations were ratified were part of more than 120 who had resigned from their NA seats en masse on April 11, two days after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted from the top office in a no-confidence vote.
ARRANGEMENTS FINALIZED
Preparations are underway for the by-elections to be held on Sunday, while head-to-head competition is expected on eight National Assembly (NA) seats and three constituencies of Punjab.
According to details, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is a candidate for seven national seats.
In NA-157 Multan Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter Mehar Bano Qureshi and Yousaf Raza Gillani’s son Ali Musa Gillani are competing.
Furthermore, NA-118 Nankana Sahib is expected to be a tight contest between PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PML-N candidate Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan, while Syed Afzal Hussain Shah of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is also in the race.
Meanwhile, preparations for the by-elections in three constituencies of the National Assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been completed.
On the other hand, in the city of Khanewal of South Punjab, the preparations of the constituency PP-209 by-election are at peak. Eight candidates are participating in the by-polls, while tough contest is expected between the candidates of PTI and PML-N.
