Polling in the by-election for NA-240 Karachi has started as people have started arriving at 309 polling stations set up in 133 buildings of the constituency for the purpose, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday. 

As many as 25 candidates are in the run, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Muhammad Abu Bakr, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Nasir Lodhi and Pak Sarzameen Party’s (PSP) Shabbir Qaimkhani.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3rT3-V9C2Y

Of these 25 candidates, 18 are independents while seven represent different political parties. 

However, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) had announced the boycott of the by-poll. 

The district administration has declared 203 polling stations of the constituency ‘extremely sensitive’. 

The seat had fallen vacant on account the death of MQM-P’s Iqbal Muhammad Ali.  

Reporter: Danial Syed