NA-4 by-election: Polling begins in Peshawar

[FalconsForPeace]

Voting commenced at the 269 polling stations in the city's NA-4 constituency at 8am today.

Thursday has been declared a holiday by the deputy commissioner for the convenience of voters.

This is also the first time that electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be tested in an electoral exercise.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 100 polling booths are using the EVMs alongside the manual voting process.

With posters, banners, and promotional material adorning the constituency’s roadways and the campaigning having ended two days prior, the by-election is perceived to be a litmus test for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) popularity in the province, especially in light of next year’s general elections.

The male-to-female ratio of registered voters is almost 3:2.

Six political and eight independent candidates are vying for the MNA slot; they include PTI’s Arbab Amir Ayub, Asad Gulzar — late incumbent Gulzar Khan’s son — for Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party’s (ANP) Khushdil Khan, Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Wisal Farooq, Tehreek-e-Labaik’s Allama Shafiq Amini, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Nasir Khan Moosa Zai.

Apart from 1,400 army personnel, around 4,500 police officials are stationed for security in and around the polling stations.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/164519-na-4-by-poll-results

 

[Imad.Khan]

 

[MBT 3000]

pti will win

 

[Musafir117]

2013 results
Party Votes
Gulzar Khan

PTI

55134

Nasir Khan Mosazai

PML-N

20412

Sabir Hussain Awan

JI

16493

Arbab Muhammad Ayub Jan

ANP

15795

Arbab Kamal Ahmad

JUI-F

12519

Misbah ud Din

PPP-P

12031

Any alliance there? Or same as last time

 

[Imad.Khan]

2013 results
Party Votes
Gulzar Khan

PTI

55134

Nasir Khan Mosazai

PML-N

20412

Sabir Hussain Awan

JI

16493

Arbab Muhammad Ayub Jan

ANP

15795

Arbab Kamal Ahmad

JUI-F

12519

Misbah ud Din

PPP-P

12031

Any alliance there? Or same as last time

No alliances this time either

 

[Musafir117]

Moreover, clashes between workers of Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) erupted in Chuvan Gujjar area after a scuffle between some kids.

In another area, a worker of the Pakistan Peoples Party displayed a weapon at a polling station as voting was underway. This blatant violation of the law happened in UC-26 of Peshawar.

Earlier, in the Phandu area of Peshawar, workers and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) shouted slogans against each other during the polling activities.

Disappointed by the performance of different parties, residents of UC-56 are boycotting the by-election. “We have been voting for 70 years but to no avail,” said one resident. “Our issues are ignored.”

Litmus test

According to observers, the NA-4 by-polls will prove to be a litmus test for gauging the popularity of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

NA-4 belonged to PTI, we will take it back once again and this time with a massive margin, InshaAllah#VotePaBat pic.twitter.com/4D7okZsfwy

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 26, 2017
The seat fell vacant after the death of dissident PTI MNA Gulzar Khan on August 28.

Turnout

According to reports, voter turnout appeared to be strong while people began lining up outside polling stations as early as 7:30am. Polling will continue till 5pm amid tight security. Public holiday has been declared in Peshawar.

Female voter turnout was huge. A female voter present at a polling station told Samaa that more women will step out of their homes to cast votes as the day passes by. “I have never seen so many women cast votes ever in my life,” said a woman.

People with special needs also headed towards polling stations.

Tough competition

According to an official of the Election Commission of Pakistan, 14 candidates representing both major and minor political parties are vying for the seat. Election campaign ended at midnight on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, political parties set up camps in the constituency to facilitate voters, while a large number of media teams reached the city to cover the by-election of crucial importance.

Candidates of major political parties include Nasir Khan Musazai from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Asad Gulzar Khan from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Arbab Amir Ayub from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Khushdil Khan from Awami National Party (ANP).

Charged ANP youth in NA-4.#NA4 pic.twitter.com/8ofI75G2Rc

— Dr Nauman (@naumanulhaqkhan) October 25, 2017
The constituency has 397, 904 registered votes – 235,164 of these are male while 162,740 are female.

InshaAllah PMLN will continue it’s winning streak in elections by conquering NA4 when ppl vote for Nawaz Sharif.#NA4BheeSherKa pic.twitter.com/AjyY27Dhwa

— PML(N) (@pmln_org) October 25, 2017
As many as 269 polling stations including 147 male, 111 female and 11 combined polling stations have been set up in the constituency. In total, 837 polling booths, 492 male and 345 female pooling booths had been set up by the ECP.

As many as 269 Presiding Officer, 837 Assistant Presiding Officers and 837 Polling Officers are serving on the polling day.

Electronic Voting Machines

Moreover, the commission is using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the Peshawar by-election on trial basis in 39 polling stations. The processing time of casting one vote through these machines would take 20 seconds, adding this new technology was being introduced in by-election to examine the performance and functioning of the machines and to record voters’ problems in using this technology.

According to the ECP, there would be no effect on the result of by-election with use of these machines as this was just a pilot project.

The commission would compile its report after use of these machines in Peshawar by-election and submit it to the parliament, adding under article-103 of new election act 2017, EVM machines would be used as pilot project.

Security measures

According to the ECP, 7,000 policemen have been deployed while 1,700 personnel of Pakistan Army are performing security duty.

On Wednesday, the ECP director general administration and provincial election commissioner visited polling stations in the area to check preparations for the by-election.

Meanwhile, the ECP has empowered all presiding officers to exercise the powers of first class magistrate to prevent any untoward incident.

Constituency’s composition and history

The NA-4 constituency consists of 26 local bodies wards. Peshawar has four National Assembly and 11 provincial assembly seats. In the 2013 general election, the PTI had swept all the four NA seats and 10 of the 11 provincial assembly seats.

However, when Imran Khan vacated the NA-1 seat (Peshawar city), Ghulam Ahmed Bilour of the ANP won it in the by-election months after the installation of the PTI government in K-P.

The PTI had won the NA-4 seat in 2013 by a big margin of 34,722 votes. The party’s candidate Gulzar Khan had received 55,134 votes while the runner-up, Nasir Khan Mosazai of the PML-N, got 20,412. The Jamaat’s Sabir Hussain Awan came third with 16,493 votes.

https://www.samaa.tv/pakistan/2017/10/live-updates-crucial-na-4-by-election-today/

 

[Musafir117]

PPP candidate leading in seven polling station so far

 

[WebMaster]

PPP candidate leading in seven polling station so far

Disgusting.

 

[notorious_eagle]

Disgusting.

Its a lie

Let me edit that. PTI just pulling ahead from the rest.

PTI 13153
PMLN 6856
ANP 6445
PPP 2813
Result of 77/269 polling stations.

 

[Musafir117]

Its a lie

Let me edit that. PTI just pulling ahead from the rest.

PTI 13153
PMLN 6856
ANP 6445
PPP 2813
Result of 77/269 polling stations.

Wasn’t a lie ppp was in lead in first seven, now it’s 77 bring by you.
No one mera chacha mama taya I’m supporting there, bhad mein jaen meri Taraf se. I was just updating what I got.

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has secured a narrow lead with more than 871 votes against the ANP and PML-N in Peshawar where the counting is underway for the by-election.
https://www.samaa.tv/pakistan/2017/10/live-updates-crucial-na-4-by-election-today/

 

[Strike!]

So PTI has pretty much won with a victory margin of about 20K votes.

 

[Dastaan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/923579318915223552