Sheikh Rashid 'requests' establishment to stay away from Punjab by-polls

Sheikh Rashid said that the nation will not tolerate any kind of rigging, violence and threats.

RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - Awami Muslim League Pakistan (AMLP) leader Sheikh Rashid on Saturday requested the establishment of Pakistan to stay away from the Punjab by-elections, slated to be held on Sunday, July 17.

Former Interior Minister Rashid said that tomorrow is a very important day. "Country might not have witnessed such election," he said.

In a video message, Sheikh Rashid said that Attock court has given him a date of 8 August. He said that he visits different courts daily because of the "fake cases".

He further said that the nation will not tolerate any kind of rigging, violence and threats.

Rashid said that establishment has to show in tomorrow’s election that they are unbiased. While he added that those who are talking about imposing Article 6 on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan have no sense. "These people have been imposed on us by one to two votes," he said.

The former federal minister said that if the masses will vote Imran Khan, they will be stopped and if they will be stopped then there will be a severe reaction.

"Tomorrow is a test to strengthen the politics of Pakistan and masses must decide to strengthen the politics and no one should be doing interference in it," he concluded.

— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) July 16, 2022

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has assured free and transparent by-elections as 175 candidates contest polls for crucial Punjab Assembly seats.

Election campaign for by-polls ended at 12:00 midnight (night falling between Friday and Saturday and Voting will be held on Sunday, July 17.

By elections are being held in 20 constituencies of Punjab Assembly including PP-7 Rawalpindi; PP-83, Khushab; PP-90 Bhakkar; PP-97 Faisalabad; PP-125, Jhang; PP-127, Jhang; PP-140 Sheikhupura;PP-158,Lahore;PP-167, Lahore; PP-168, Lahore; PP-170 Lahore; PP-202 Sahiwal; PP-217 Multan; PP-224, Lodhran;PP-228, Lodhran; PP-237, Bahawalnagar; PP-272- Muzaffargarh;PP-273 Muzaffargarh;PP-282, Layyah and PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan.

The ECP has completed preparations for the by-polls. A total of 4.57 million registered voters, including 2.46 million women, are eligible to vote in the by-polls. A total of 3131 polling stations, including 731 male, 700 female and 1700 combined polling stations have been established across the 20 constituencies.

A total of 9,562 polling booths have been set up for the by-polls. The ECP has declared 1204 polling stations sensitive and 696 highly sensitive.

Polling stations from Lahore and Multan have been declared sensitive.

The results of the by-polls would be essential for the CM vote count, ordered by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

PML-N needs to win a total of 9 seats in the by-elections to gain a majority to elect their Chief Minister in the biggest province of the country.