Polling underway in 3 Punjab districts

Polling has been kicked off at three Punjab districts: NA-68 Sargodha-V, NA-100 Gujranwala-VIII and NA-155 Lodhran-II, Dunya News reported on Thursday. PML-N and PPP candidates vacated National Assembly seats in Sargodha and Lodhran, respectively over fake degrees. In Gujranwala, an independent MNA who later joined PML-N also vacated the seat over the degree issue. Both PPP and PML-N campaigned openly against each other in violation of the previous understanding. In Sargodha, PML-N candidate is Sardar Shafqat Baloch and PPP is supporting independent candidate Mian Mazhar Qureshi. In Lodhran, PPP fielded Hayatullah Tarin while PML-N is supporting independent candidate Akhtar Kanju. However, the PPP and PML-N understanding allows them to field candidates against each other in the Gujranwala constituency. Azhar Qayyum Nehra is PML-N candidate and PPP has awarded ticket to Chaudhry Tusadaq Masood. According to reports, both federal and provincial ministers paid frequent visits to these constituencies after the by-polls were scheduled and promised development and jobs for these constituencies. Both parties believe that this is a golden opportunity to down each other. Police together with Rangers parties have been deployed in three districts to maintain law and order situation during polling.