Karachi: The by-election on two important Sindh Assembly’s constituencies are being held on Tuesday (February 16, 2021).
The constituencies are PS-88 in District Malir of Karachi and PS-43 in District Sanghar. The by-election has become important as immediately afterwards Senate elections will be held in the country on March 3, 2021.
The by-elections were delayed due to coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions.
The two constituencies became vacant last year as their lawmakers belonging to Pakistan Peoples’ Party ruling in Sindh, died due to coronavirus.
PS-88 in Karachi fell vacant due to death of Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Ghulam Murtaza Baloch in June last year while PS-43 became vacant due to death of PPP’s MPA Jam Madad Ali in November last year.
The polling for the by-election will be held from 8am to 5pm without any break.
There are 145,627 registered voters in PS-88 with 64,202 woman voters. Polling will be held in 108 polling stations and 418 polling booths.
Total number of registered voters in PS-43 are 157,200 including 69,166 woman voters. The by-election in the constituency will be held in 132 polling stations and 437 polling booths.
Urban and rural areas
The front runner candidates in PS-88 are Yousif Murtaza Baloch of PPP, Jan Sher Junejo of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and Sajid Ahmad of Muttahida Quami Movement, Pakistan. The PS-88 is unique in the sense that it comprises of both urban and rural areas of Karachi. Earlier, the candidates of PPP and MQM got elected from this constituency.
In the case of PS-43, the main electoral contest will be between Jam Shabbir Ali Khan of PPP and Mushtaq Junejo of PTI.
Provincial Election Commissioner Sindh, Aijaz Anwar Chohan, said the Election Commission of Pakistan would do its best to ensure conduct of the by-poll in the most transparent and impartial manner.
He directed the relevant police officials to make arrangements for the security of the polling stations.
