Staff Report
RAJANPUR: The counting of votes is underway after polling for the National Assembly constituency NA-193 by-election in Rajanpur peacefully concluded.
The NA-193 seat fell vacant after the sad demise of Sardar Mohammad Jaffar Khan Leghari, who was elected as MNA on a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket.
Earlier, the Punjab government had requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone the by-elections due to security concerns; however, ECP turned down the plea.
In a statement released this morning, the ECP said that the polling kicked off at 8 am and continued till 5 pm without intervals. The commission said that a control room had been set up at the electoral body’s secretariat to monitor the voting process and address the complaints regarding the polling.
As per the ECP, 11 candidates are contesting the by-elections, while there are 379,204 registered voters in the entire constituency, of which 172,709 are female, and 206,497 are male voters.
Security measures for NA-193 Rajanpur by-elections
The commission said that 237 polling stations had been set up in the entire constituency, where police personnel had been deputed for security. Meanwhile, the electoral body said 200 Punjab Rangers personnel are also performing duties as a quick response force, adding that strict action will be taken against violators of the election code of conduct or those who disrupt the polling process.
PTI had nominated Mohsin Leghari for contesting by-elections on Rajanpur’s NA 193 after PTI Chairman Imran Khan withdrew his nomination papers because of fears of disqualification in the Tyrian White case.
Meanwhile, Ammar Awais Laghari is contesting on the PML-N ticket, and Akhtar Hassan Gorchani is contesting for Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), among eight others.
The NA-193 seat had fallen vacant after the death of Jaffar Khan Leghari. He died in Lahore on December 31, 2022, after a prolonged illness.
