ISLAMABAD: Polling on nine seats of the national and provincial assemblies is underway, Geo News reported Tuesday.
By-polls are taking place in NA-107 constituency of Gujrat, Jehlums's PP-25, Sahiwal's NA-162, Gujranwala's PP-92, Sialkot's PP-122 and PP-129, Narowal's PP-129 and PP-226 constituency of Sahiwal.
By-elections are also in progress in PS-21 constituency of Sindh.
In a PP-92 Gunjranwala 2 polling station in Government Commerce College, polling and intermediate exams was going on parallel.
The seat for Sahiwal's NA-162 was vacated after Pakistan peoples Party’s (PPP) MNA Zahid Iqbal was disqualified for having dual nationality. Though eleven candidates are contesting for this seat, a tough competition is expected among PPP’s Ali Fareed Kathia, PML-N’s Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal and PTI’s Rai Hassan Nawaz.
The NA-107 Gujrat 4 seat was vacated after PML-N’s Malik Jamil Awan was removed for having dual nationality. Here, fourteen contestants are participating while a tough competition is expected between PML-N’s Malik Mohammad Hanif Awan and Chaudhry Rehman Naseer Marala who is the joint candidate from PPP and Muslim League-Q.
Ten candidates are contesting from PP-226 constituency of Sahiwal that was vacated after Muslim League-Q’s MPA Malik Iqbal Ahmed was disqualified. However, real competition will be between Muslim League-Q’s Begum Naseem and PML-N’s Chaudhry Haneef.
Fifteen candidates are contesting on PP-92 Gujranwala that was vacated when PML-N’s Ashraf Chauhan was disqualified over dual nationality but the competition is expected between PML-N’s Nawaz Chauhan and PPP’s Lala Asadullah.
PP-122 was emptied after the disqualification of PML-N’s Chaudhry Ikhlaq. PML-N’s Chaudhry Akram is competing with PPP’s Raja Amir.
PP-129 from Sialkot 9 became available after PML-N’s Chaudhry Jamil Ashraf’s disqualification on which PML-N’s Mohsin Ashraf and Muslim League-Q’s Ansar Baryal are contesting.
PP-133 Narowal 3 was earlier held by Dr Tahir Ali who was also suspended over dual nationality. PML-N’s Dr Naimat Ali Javed and Muslim League-Q’s Umer Sharif are contesting for this seat.
Punjab Assembly’s PP-26 Jehlum was vacated after PML-N’s Nadeem Khadim was disqualified for which six candidates are contesting now. However, tough competition is likely between Chaudhry Mohammad Arif (joint candidate for Muslim League-Q and PPP) and independent candidate Sufi Mohammad Aziz.
At a polling station of PP-26 Jehlum 3, voters have boycotted the polling.
PS-21 Nowshehro Feroz was vacated after the disqualification of Dr Ahmed Ali Shah on which PPP’s Sarfaraz Hussain Shah and National Peoples Party’s Syed Afzaal Hussain are contesting.