First-ever in the history of Pakistan, biometric voting will be held during by-election in NA-19 constituency of Haripur, Punjab on Sunday (tomorrow).
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) finalised all arrangements for the electoral contest primarily between political rivals, ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The by-election would be held under supervision of military troops and Rangers in Haripur where biometric voting to be made on 30 out of 513 polling stations for 577,480 registered voters.
Fourty-two polling stations declared sensitive while 262 rated normal during the upcoming contest between nine candidates including PTI’s Raja Amir, PML-N’s Babar Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s Muhammad Tahir who were readied to show muscle in the constituency.
ECP officials said that Presiding Officers (POs) were given level-one powers for three days to ensure transparent polling. Restrictions have also been imposed regarding usage of mobile phones in the polling stations excluding POs, arms exhibition and aerial firing. Moreover, 2150 military personnel will perform security duties in the polling stations.
