By-elections amid high security in 41 constituencies tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The much-awaited by-elections in the 41 constituencies across the country will be held on Thursday (August 22) amid tight security measures, Geo News reported Wednesday.

All the necessary arrangements for the polling have been concluded, however, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed by-election at the National Assembly Constituency NA-25 in Dera Ismail Khan, a day after the electoral body decided that the polling will not be postponed due to floods and law and order.

The NA-25 seat was vacated by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The ECP told said that the by-election was postponed due to law and order situation.

The ECP has also finalized the security plan for the polls to be held tomorrow according to which five security personnel will be stationed at normal polling stations, at least seven at sensitive while 10-20 at highly sensitive polling stations on August 22.

Moreover, army troops will separately be deployed at polling stations depending upon the requirements.

The Sindh home department has also imposed a ban on exhibiting any kind of arms and weapons for three days on the occasion of by-polls.

All the political parties concluded their election campaigning at midnight 12 am, following the directives given by the ECP. Moreover, the process of army deployment also come to an end, sources told.

According to the ECP, army personnel will be able to exercise the powers of the first-class magistrate tomorrow under which they will be able to punish any perpetrators there and then.

A total of 819 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive across Sindh including Karachi while more than 300 as sensitive.