Polling underway for Balochistan Assembly’s PB-26 by-election

QUETTA (92 News) – The polling is underway for the by-election to Balochistan Assembly’s PB-26 on Monday. The polling will continue until 5pm without any break. A tough contest is expected between Hazara Democratic Party’s Qadir Ali Nail and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and joint opposition candidate Muhammad Turabi. PTI’s Khaliq Dar Noorzai and Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen’s Agha Muhammad Raza are also contesting the seat. A total of 18 people submitted their nomination papers, of whom some withdrew later. More than 10 people are contesting the PB-26 seat now. According to an election commission spokesperson, 49 polling stations have been set up, of which 28 are for men, 19 for women and two are for both. All polling stations have been declared ‘sensitive’. The number of registered voters is 57, 675. Strict security measures have been made for the by-poll. Apart from FC and police personnel, Pakistan Army troops are present inside and outside polling stations. The election commission has deployed 393 staff members, including 49 presiding officers, 172 assistant presiding officers, and 172 polling officers. The PB-26 seat fell vacant after the annulment of Hazara Democratic Party’s Ahmed Ali Khozad’s election victory for having Afghan nationality.