Polling is currently taking place in the by-election for Multan’s National Assembly constituency NA-148 with tight security measures in place on Sunday.

Voting began at 8:00 am and will continue until 5:00 pm without any breaks.

Twelve candidates from different political parties are competing to fill the seat left vacant after Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani resigned to become the Senate Chairman.

A close competition is expected between PPP candidate Syed Ali Qasim Gilani and Sunni Ittehad Council’s Taimur Malik Altaf Mahay.

NA-148 Multan-1 is a significant constituency and the upcoming by-election is drawing attention from various political parties aiming for victory.

The candidates who received nomination papers from the office of Returning Officer Muhammad Saif of NA-148 include Taimur Altaf Malik, Ali Qasim Gilani, son of Yusuf Raza Gilani, Khalid Javed Waraich, Ahmed Hussain Dehr, Muhammad Atif Imran, Rubeena Akhtar, Saqib Mahmood Mahay, Rana Jang Sher Ali, Azhar Ahmed Sandila, Jamshed Abbas Bapi, Rana Ameeq, and Amjad Hussain.

In the February 8 elections, Ahmed Hussain Dehr on PML-N’s ticket received 57,989 votes.

The total number of voters in the constituency is 444,231, with 233,624 being male and 210,607 female.

According to the ECP, there are 275 polling stations in the constituency, with 72 for women, 72 for men, and 131 joint polling stations. The ECP has identified 69 polling stations as sensitive.

3,800 police personnel will be on duty to ensure security during the election.