Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued the schedule for by-elections on vacant National and Punjab Assembly seats. These seats fell vacant after the disqualification of Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, Zartaj Gul, and Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal.
Polling Date Announced
According to the notification, polling will take place on Sunday, October 5, 2025. The constituencies where by-elections will be held include:
- NA-143 Sahiwal-III
- NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan-II
- PP-203 Sahiwal-VI
ECP confirmed that all electoral activities will follow the announced timeline strictly.
Nomination and Scrutiny Schedule
The schedule begins on August 26, 2025, when Returning Officers (ROs) will issue public notices. Candidates can submit their nomination papers from August 28 to August 30, 2025. The list of nominated candidates will also be published on August 30, 2025.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will be completed by September 3, 2025. Appeals against the Returning Officers’ decisions can be filed until September 8, 2025. The appellate tribunals will decide these appeals by September 12, 2025.
The revised list of candidates will be published on September 13, 2025.
Withdrawal of Papers and Symbols
Candidates will have until September 15, 2025 to withdraw their nomination papers. The allocation of election symbols to candidates will take place on September 16, 2025.
Background
The by-elections are being held after the ECP disqualified several lawmakers in cases linked to the May 9 incidents. Recently, the ECP also disqualified Abdul Latif Chitrali, further reshaping the political landscape in Parliament.
Analysts say the October by-elections will be an early test for political parties ahead of future electoral contests. Voter turnout and candidate selection are expected to play a decisive role in these constituencies.
