MULTAN:
Polling process in by-election in PP-196 is underway amid tight security in Multan. The voting started at 8am and will continue till 5pm, according to local media sources.
About 3000 police officials have been discharging duties to maintain security arrangements in the constituency. Rangers are standby in line with security measures in the by-polls.
A total of 133 polling stations have been set up for 176,315 registered voters, authorities claimed.
PML-N candidate Rana Mahmoodul Hassan, PTI nominee Rana Abdul Jabbar, PPP candidate Muhammad Hussain Arain and APML nominee Habib Ahmad Ansari besides ten independent candidates are in the field for PP-196 seat that was left vacant following disqualification of former Punjab minister for prisons Chaudhry Abdul Waheed Arain on the orders of election tribunal, according to sources.
However, PML-N, PTI and PPP candidates are being tipped by political analysts as the main contestant and tough contest is expected among the three candidates.