The polling for the by-election on National Assembly seat NA-45, Kurram has started today (Sunday). A tough competition is expected between PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PDM candidate Jamil Kham, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The balloting was started at 8am and it will continue till 5pm. 

As many as 14 candidates are vying for the seat but the hard contest is expected between PTI Chief Imran and the coalition government-backed PDM candidate Jamil Khan.

Among 142 polling stations, 119 have been declared ‘sensitive’ and 24 are declared ‘highly sensitive’. 

There are a total 198,618 registered voters in NA 45 constituency, and among them, the number of male voters is 111,349 and number of woman voters is 87,269. 

According to the Kurram district police officer, as many as 2,100 policemen have been deputed to perform security duty during the balloting. 

On Oct 21, a four-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan declared former prime minister and PTI Chief Imran Khan disqualified in Toshakhana reference. But the PTI head moved to the Islamabad High Court against the ECP verdict. 

During the hearing the case on Oct 24, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that PTI Chief Imran Khan had not been barred from contesting in future elections.

After the observation by the IHC CJ, the ECP allowed Imran to run for the new polls.

Reporter Zahid Iqbal Rana