Tensions, allegations surface as polling held in 13 constituencies

Polling in 13 national and provincial assembly constituencies across Pakistan on Sunday was marred by tensions, accusations of irregularities and scattered incidents of disorder, even as election officials insisted the process remained largely peaceful.

- Tariq Butt

Counting of votes was underway after the daylong polling for by-elections on six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly seats concluded on Sunday evening.

Most seats had fallen vacant after the disqualification of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) due to their convictions for their involvement in the May 9, 2023 violent riots.

The six National Assembly constituencies where polling was held included one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), NA-18 (Haripur), and the rest in Punjab-NA-96 (Faisalabad), NA-104 (Faisalabad), NA-129 (Lahore), NA-143 (Sahiwal) and NA-185 (Dera Ghazi Khan).

The seven Punjab Assembly constituencies where by-polls were held were PP-73 (Sargodha), PP-87 (Mianwali), PP-98 (Faisalabad), PP-115 (Faisalabad), PP-116 (Faisalabad), PP-203 (Sahiwal) and PP-269 (Muzaffargarh).

In NA-129 (Lahore-XIII), the seat fell vacant following the death of former Punjab governor and PTI stalwart Mian Muhammad Azhar. His grandson Chaudhry Arsalan Ahmad is now contesting the by-poll, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has fielded Hafiz Mian Muhammad Noman.