KARACHI: Polling for by-election on National Assembly’s constituency NA-258 has started which will continue till 5:00 pm without any break.
Strict security arrangements have been made with Rangers and police personnel deployed in and outside the polling stations. All polling stations in the constituency have either been declared `sensitive` or `extreme sensitive`, while presiding officers and the Rangers have been given magisterial powers.
According to Province Election Commissioner of Sindh Tanveer Zaki, no persons, except the presiding officers, would be allowed to use cellphone on the premises of a polling station.
All election staff and voters could enter their respective polling station by showing their original computerised national identity cards.
It is to be mentioned here that the seat fell vacant after resignation of PML-N MNA Abdul Hakeem Baloch. Baloh had won the NA-258 election in 2013 on a ticket of the PML-N, however he recently rejoined Pakistan People’s Party and resigned from his assembly membership to contest the by-election on a PPP ticket.
As major political players have either chose not to contest or boycotted the by-election on NA-258, the Pakistan Peoples Party is set to reclaim the National Assembly seat it lost in the 2013 general election to the same man who is now contesting the election on its ticket.
The PML-N did not field its candidate in the by-election. Three other parties the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the outlawed Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat announced boycott of the by-election accusing the provincial government of pre-poll rigging.
Excluding the three boycotting parties, a total of 11 candidates are in the run, Mr Baloch, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl`s Maulana Akram Shah and Shah Waliullah of the Muttahida Deeni Mahaz. Eight of the candidates are independent.
