Imran to face tough competition in NA-45 Kurram by-poll today

PESHAWAR: Voters are excercising their right to vote in the by-election for the National Assembly seat, NA-45, Kurram today. The seat fell vacant after PTI MNA Malik Fakhar Zaman tendered his resignation from his NA seat. 

Polling started at 8am to continue till 5pm without any break, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) earlier announced that it has finalised the arrangements for the polls. 

PTI chief Imran Khan is one of 16 candidates vying for the seat. Other prominent contestants are Jamil Khan of Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) and Sher Muhammad Khan of Jamaat Islami (JI). 

PDM's consensus candidate Jamil Khan is expected to give a tough fight to Imran Khan in today's elections. 

There are 198,618 registered voters — 111,349 men and 87,269 women — in the constituency, according to the spokesman of the Election Commission Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The voters will cast their votes at 143 polling stations — 119 of them have been declared very sensitive and 24 others sensitive, according to the spokesman.

District Police Officer (DPO) Kurram, Arbab Shafiullah said that security arrangements had been completed for by-elections in NA-45 and transportation of election material had been started.

He said that 2,100 policemen had been deputed on polling duty.

The DPO has called on political leaders and workers to abide by rules and cooperate with police to maintain peace during the election today.

Provincial Election Commissioner Shamshad Khan has directed the Commissioner Kohat division to make foolproof security arrangements for the NA-45 Kurram by-poll so that the voters could cast their votes without fear and risk.