Voting is taking place for by-elections in two key constituencies in Punjab: NA-77 (Gujranwala-I) and PP-203 (Sahiwal-VI). Election officials and security personnel were dispatched to polling stations across both districts ahead of the vote to manage logistics and maintain order.
In PP-203, located in Chichawatni tehsil, administrators deployed 1,370 election staff members to manage 185 polling stations. The personnel count includes 574 women and 796 men, with 54 women serving as presiding officers at female and combined polling sites. Returning Officer Khudad Tarar confirmed that all voting material was handed over to teams on Saturday alongside dedicated security escorts.
Security and logistics in Sahiwal
To ensure peaceful voting, District Police Officer Usman Tipu stated that 1,100 security personnel have been assigned to cover PP-203. The security plan includes 150 female police officers and regular patrols by Elite Force squads around voting locations. Special reserves, including the Anti-Riot Force and police reserve units, are on standby, with paramilitary Rangers held in reserve.
The local administration categorized the 185 polling locations in PP-203 into 11 Category A, 37 Category B, and 137 Category C sites based on sensitivity. Around 185 vehicles were arranged to transfer personnel to remote rural areas, while a reserve fleet of vehicles remains at the returning officer's office for potential emergencies.
Gujranwala NA-77 contest
Polling is also underway in Gujranwala for the NA-77 constituency. The seat became vacant after the passing of former federal minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Chaudhry Mehmood Basheer Virk in September.
For the by-election, PML-N nominated Rashid Basheer Virk, the late lawmaker's son. Opposition groups, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Pakistan Peoples Party, and Jamaat-i-Islami, chose not to run candidates for this National Assembly seat.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Punjab ke do ilaqon, Gujranwala aur Sahiwal mein aaj by-elections ho rahe hain. Chichawatni mein election ki tayyariyon ke liye 1,300 se zyada staff aur 1,100 police ahlkar tainat kiye gaye hain. Gujranwala ki seat purane MNA ke intiqal ke baad khali hui thi jis par voting jaari hai.
