ISLAMABAD: With Aseefa Bhutto Zardari and Zubair Junejo, both from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), elected unopposed on their respective National Assembly and Sindh Assembly

seats, as many as 239 of the total 241 candidates are now in run for by-elections on 21 of the 23 seats of all the Assemblies except Sindh Assembly, this Sunday.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, daughter of President Asif Ali Zardari, has been elected unopposed from NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad and Zubair Junejo has been elected unopposed on PS-80 Dadu.

Polls however will be held on five NA seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats and two seats each of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and Balochistan Assembly.

On March 13, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced by-elections on 23 seats on April 21 on 19 seats vacated by those candidates who had won more than one seat in February general elections, and four seats saw elections

postponement due

to death of contesting candidates.

The general elections that were scheduled on NA-8 and KPA seat PK-22 were delayed due to the assassination of a candidate contesting polls on the two seats. Polls were also postponed on KPA seat PK-91 and PA seat PP-266 due to the deaths of the respective contestants ahead of February 8 general polls.

The 19 seats vacated by candidates who won more than one seats in the general polls, and where by-polls are being held, are: NA-44, NA-119, NA-132, NA-196, NA-207, PP-22, PP-32, PP-36, PP-54, PP-93, PP-139, PP-147, PP-149, PP-158, PP-164, PP-290, PB-20, PB-22 and PS-80.

The PPP is the only party to have elected two of its by-poll candidates unopposed and SA is the only legislature of all the Assemblies where by-elections would not be held.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024