Punjab by-elections: Neck and Neck contest for Lahore Throne will be held today

Polling for the neck and neck by-elections in twenty constituencies of Punjab will be held on Sunday.

The polling will start at 8:00 am and it will continue till 5:00 pm in the evening without any break.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has made comprehensive arrangements to hold the polling process in a peaceful environment.

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These Punjab Assembly constituencies fall in Rawalpindi, Khushab, Bhakkar, Faisalabad, Jhang, Shaikhupura, Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Lodhran, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Dera Ghazi Khan districts which were declared vacant due to defection of members of Pakistan Tehrik-I-Insaf.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has established three thousand, one hundred and thirty-one polling stations in these twenty constituencies out of which six hundred and seventy-six have been declared highly sensitive and one thousand, one hundred and ninety-four sensitive.

CCTV Cameras have also been installed at highly sensitive and sensitive polling stations while the contingents of Punjab Rangers will patrol the areas and the army will be in stand-by positions to avert any untoward situation.

Voters can also know their polling stations through a specially activated SMS 8300 service for their guidance.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has set up central and provincial control rooms for the by-elections.

According to the Press Release issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, on the instructions of the Chief Election Commissioner, officers in Karachi and Islamabad are monitoring the delivery of polling materials from the control room.

A central control room has been established in Election Commission Islamabad. Complaints regarding polling can be registered on the phone No. 051-9204402 -3051-9210837- 8 FAX Number 051-9204404.

The Control Rooms will promptly resolve election-related complaints.

Secretary Election Commission Umar Hameed Khan visited Provincial Election Commission Office Punjab in Lahore on Saturday and reviewed polling and security arrangements.

Speaking on this occasion, he said that at the request of the Election Commission, two thousand FC personnel have been deployed by Interior Ministry to maintain law and order during by-elections.

He said, “We have the full support of state institutions for holding free, fair and transparent elections.”

The Secretary Election Commission appealed to the people to come out and exercise their right to vote without any fear.

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Pakistan Army will also perform Quick Reaction Force duties in case of any law and order situation arising during polling in Punjab by-elections tomorrow (Sunday).

According to the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan army troops carried out reconnaissance of most sensitive locations in respective areas as third-tier responders to any law and order situation in line with directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan during Punjab by-elections.