Islamabad, Nov 24 (V7N) – By-elections were held on Sunday for 13 vacant seats in Pakistan’s National Assembly and Punjab Assembly, with voting conducted under strict security measures. Polling stations opened at 8:00 am and closed at 5:00 pm, as authorities deployed additional personnel to ensure a smooth and safe electoral process.

The seats up for election were predominantly previously held by lawmakers from former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. These lawmakers were disqualified following Khan’s arrest on May 9 last year and subsequent nationwide unrest, in which they were found guilty of involvement in violent incidents across the country. Their disqualification triggered the need for by-elections.

Among the six National Assembly seats, one is located in Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the remaining five constituencies—Faisalabad, Lahore, Sahiwal, and Dera Ghazi Khan—are in Punjab province. In addition, by-elections were held for seven seats in the Punjab Assembly.

Political analysts note that these by-elections are being closely watched as a test of PTI’s support base following the party’s setbacks over the past year. The elections also serve as a barometer for the ruling coalition’s performance in Punjab and nationwide.

Voter turnout in the early hours was reported to be moderate, but security concerns and the history of political unrest in some regions prompted heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel. Election officials implemented measures including CCTV monitoring and additional polling staff to maintain transparency and prevent irregularities.

Representatives from major political parties, including PTI, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), were present at several polling stations to observe the process. Election authorities urged voters to participate peacefully and ensure that the process reflects the democratic choice of the electorate.

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