https://www.facebook.com/aamirsaeed.abbassi?mibextid=ZbWKwL
https://x.com/AmirSaeedAbbasi?t=wgV5MoIU6BswArSR0mVyRQ&s=08
https://www.instagram.com/aamirsaeedabbasi/
Top Stories

Pakistan postpones Punjab by-elections as floods wreak havoc

By-elections for five NA and four PA seats, originally set for Sept 18-Oct 5, 2025, will be rescheduled

avatar-icon

Aamir Abbasi

Editor, Islamabad

Aamir; a journalist with 15 years of experience, working in Newspaper, TV and Digital Media. Worked in Field, covered Big Legal Constitutional and Political Events in Pakistan since 2009 with Pakistan’s Top Media Organizations. Graduate of Quaid I Azam University Islamabad.

Full Bio
Pakistan postpones Punjab by-elections as floods wreak havoc

Residents evacuate by boat to higher ground as Sutlej River floods Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan, August 29, 2025.

Reuters

Pakistan’s election commission has announced the postponement of key bye-elections in Punjab following widespread flooding that has severely disrupted infrastructure and displaced thousands of residents.

In a statement released Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said the severe floods have made it impossible to conduct elections in a fair, secure, and inclusive manner. Roads, bridges, power lines and communication networks have been destroyed, while numerous public buildings, including schools designated as polling stations, have sustained extensive damage.

The postponement affects nine constituencies across Punjab.

National Assembly by-elections postponed:

  • NA-66 Wazirabad (originally Sept 18)
  • NA-129 Lahore-XIII (originally Sept 18)
  • NA-96 Faisalabad-II (originally Oct 5)
  • NA-104 Faisalabad-X (originally Oct 5)
  • NA-143 Sahiwal-III (originally Oct 5)

    • Provincial Assembly by-elections postponed:

  • PP-87 Mianwali-III (originally Sept 18)
  • PP-73 Sargodha-III (originally Oct 5)
  • PP-98 Faisalabad-I (originally Oct 5)
  • PP-203 Sahiwal-VI (originally Oct 5)

    • Originally, these by-elections were to cover five National Assembly and four Provincial Assembly constituencies, with polling dates set between September 18 and October 5, 2025.

    Authorities noted that many government officials tasked with overseeing the elections are currently engaged in ongoing rescue and relief operations. The Punjab provincial government formally requested the postponement, emphasizing the need to prioritize humanitarian efforts over electoral activities.

    “The scale of the disaster has made it impossible to guarantee the integrity, security, and inclusiveness of the electoral process,” the ECP said. It highlighted that displaced voters would be unable to participate and that holding elections at this time could lead to widespread disenfranchisement.

    Invoking powers granted under Pakistan’s Constitution and the Elections Act, the ECP decided to delay the elections until conditions improve. The electoral process will resume from the point at which it was paused once the situation stabilizes.

    Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, has been hit particularly hard by the floods, disrupting daily life and prompting a large-scale emergency response from civil authorities and the military.

    A revised election schedule will be announced in due course.

    Comments

    See what people are discussing

    Back To Top