The polling in Khushab PP-84 by-election was underway on Wednesday amid strict security measures and under the surveillance of provincial election commissioner and Khushab administration, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The voting process will continue without any interval till 5 pm.

Provincial Election Commissioner Ghulam Israr Khan took a briefing from Deputy Commissioner Khushab Musarat Jabeen and DPO Muhammad Naveed about the polling process.

Khushab DC and DPO visited various polling stations of PP-84 and reviewed the security arrangements and polling process and also apprised the polling staff posted at the polling stations about their duties.

The Provincial Election Commissioner directed to strictly enforce Covid-19 SOPs inside and outside the polling stations and also directed the polling staff to treat the voters in a cordial manner and there should be no complaints at all.

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In Noorpur Thal, voters and police exchanged hot words over bringing mobile phones into the polling station.

Moreover, as many as 750 voters in the Union Council Jora Kalan area of PP-84 Khushab have boycotted the polling process and refused to cast their votes in protest over the non-availability of facilities at the polling station.

The voters of polling station 166 of Union Council Jora Kalan refused to cast their votes because there is only one polling station for three villages no 34, 35 and 36 (MB).

The TV channel reported PML-N supporters are confident of their candidate’s victory and a good number of voters can be seen at the polling station.

The Sargodha District seat fell vacant after PML-N MPA Malik Muhammad Waris Kallu died on March 12 from Covid-19.

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There are 229 polling stations, featuring 666 polling booths including 344 for male and 322 for female voters. The total registered voters amount to 292,687 of which 155,104 are male and 137,583 female.

The areas of the PP-84 constituency include Noorpur Thal Tehsil, Municipal Committee Mitha Tiwana and Qanungo Halqas of Khushab Tehsil Girot and Quaidabad where a total of eight candidates contesting for vying for the provincial seat.

Reports said a tough contest is expected between PTI’s Sardar Ali Hussain Khan Baloch and PML-N’s Malik Moazzam Sher Kallu.

Reporter Mohsin-ul-Mulk