ECP bars media from reporting unofficial results of KP and Punjab by-elections until one hour after polls close
Voting has begun for by-elections in six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly constituencies. Voting continues without interruption until 17.00.
The supplementary election started according to plan. Citizens started arriving early in the morning to cast their votes.
In NA-129, which covers densely populated areas of Lahore, polling stations have also opened. There has been a noticeable turnout in the camps of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Tight security arrangements have been implemented for the election. Special provisions have been made for the sake of voters, including the elderly and women.
The Punjab government has deployed teams from the “Clean Punjab” initiative to manage sanitation at polling stations.
Supporters were present in the camps of Pakistan Muslim League (N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other political parties.
Read: PML-N sees big win in by-polls today
Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a post on the social media platform X urged people to come out of their homes and exercise their right to vote. “Two by-elections are being held today in southern Punjab,” Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said.
“Our candidate from PP-269 Muzaffargarh is Mian Almdar Qureshi,” he said. “From NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan, Dost Muhammad Khosa is the Pakistan People’s Party candidate,” he added.
“I appeal to the people of Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan to come out, vote and raise their voice,” urged Bilawal.
He instructed party workers to remember that they must not leave the polling station without obtaining Form-45.
Rigging of claims
Chaudhry Arsalan, an independent candidate backed by PTI contests in NA-129 in Lahore, visited the polling stations today. “Complaints are coming from different polling stations,” said Chaudhry Arsalan.
“Our camps are being raided and voters have been detained. I will personally visit the polling stations soon,” he added.
“Our voters have come out and victory will be ours,” said Chaudhry Arsalan.
Meanwhile, PTI-backed MPA Mun Javed alleged rigging.
“At most of the polling stations in the constituency, our people are stopped. Complaints are coming in from all over and we are visiting the places,” he said.
“When we go to inspect, they evade us. We will protect our votes everywhere,” Mun Javed added.
PP-269 Muzaffargarh brawl
Polling at Karamdad polling station in PP-269 Muzaffargarh was temporarily suspended due to a dispute between two groups.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that voting has now resumed.
Dera Ghazi Khan
The polling started early in the morning with citizens steadily arriving at the polling stations at NA-185 in Dera Ghazi Khan.
PPP’s Dost Muhammad Khosa and PML-N’s Mahmood Qadir Khan Leghari are locked in a competitive battle.
Despite running on a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ticket, Khosa has managed to tap into the PTI vote bank. Local analysts believe that if he manages to secure meaningful PTI support, “he may even spring a surprise”.
Conversely, Leghari, who benefits from the incumbent government’s advantage and what analysts describe as “unwavering support from the establishment behind this setup”, is widely seen as a strong contender for the top spot.
“Only parties that serve the public are true wishes of the nation. Citizens cast their votes to ensure continuity of development and for the benefit of Pakistan and its people,” local voters said.
Strict security arrangements have been implemented at the polling stations in accordance with the Election Commission directives, with additional personnel deployed at sensitive locations. The district administration and police ensured maximum facilities for polling staff and voters.
According to officials, all polling stations have walk-through gates and separate booths for women. Special ramps and staff have been arranged to assist elderly and differently-abled citizens, making voting easier.
Local representatives also expressed satisfaction with the arrangements.
The Electoral Commission confirmed that voting will continue without interruption until the scheduled closing time, with results compiled in accordance with relevant rules and regulations.
City-ballot election
The constituencies where the by-election is taking place include NA-18 Haripur, NA-96 Faisalabad-II, NA-104 Faisalabad-X, NA-143 Sahiwal-III, NA-185 DG Khan-II, NA-129 Lahore-XIII, PP-73 Faisalabad-I,-19, PP-73, Sargodha-19,-III, Faisalabad-XVIII, PP-116 Faisalabad-XIII, PP-203 Sahiwal-VI, PP-269 Muzaffargarh-II and PP-87 Mianwali-III.
With most contests shaped by low turnout or predictable margins, the province’s political temperature remains relatively steady, except in a handful of constituencies where competition is expected to tighten.
Read more: The government deploys the army for security during the vote
Among the seats up for grabs is the most watched NA-129 Lahore, the only constituency where the PTI is formally contesting.
The PTI had boycotted the rest in principle, citing its rejection of the disqualification of its legislators in May 9-related cases, which caused the vacancies.
However, NA-129 fell vacant after the death of sitting MNA Mian Azhar, placing it outside this boycott category.
PTI’s Hammad Azhar claimed that Form 45s were “missing” in the election materials handed over to the Chairman Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ahead of today’s by-election in Lahore’s NA-129 constituency.
“We are receiving reports that several presiding officers are missing Form 45s in the election materials they have received from the ECP (Election Commission of Pakistan) for tomorrow’s by-elections. This is a serious violation of the election process,” he claimed in a post on X.
The Ministry of Interior has approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army and civilian armed forces for security in all 13 national and provincial assembly constituencies where by-elections are being held.
A notification issued by the home ministry said the approval followed requests by the ECP.
The civilian armed forces will be deployed as “second-tier responders (standby/quick reaction)”, while the troops of the Pakistan Army will serve as “third-tier responders (quick reaction force)” from Friday to November 24 (Monday).
Read also: Mianwali gears up for PP-87 by-polls
The exact figures will be determined by Home Departments and ECP based on ground assessments.
Meanwhile, the ECP on Saturday barred media outlets from broadcasting unofficial results of the by-elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab until an hour after the close of polls.
The commission directed that only returning officers are authorized to announce official results and warned that premature reporting could mislead the public.
It further stated that media organizations must not broadcast or publish unofficial results until at least one hour after the end of voting, and any results released thereafter must be clearly marked as unofficial and incomplete.
The ECP warned that violations of these instructions would be referred to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary action. It reiterated that the final and official result of any constituency will be issued only by the concerned ROs.
