LAHORE – Pakistani government approved deployment of Pakistan Army and Punjab Rangers for November 8 by-elections in Gujranwala and Sahiwal, with both forces placed on standby from November 7 to 9 to ensure peaceful polling amid heightened security arrangements.
The security arrangements will cover NA-77 Gujranwala-I and PP-203 Sahiwal-VI, where voters are scheduled to elect new representatives following the deaths of two Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers. Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control approved the deployment following requests submitted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on September 30 and October 2, 2026.
Under approved plan, Army and Rangers personnel will remain available for three days, from November 7 to November 9, to respond to any security emergency before, during or immediately after polling.
The government has introduced a three-layer security arrangement for the electoral exercise, placing police personnel in charge of frontline security at polling stations. Punjab Rangers will function as the second-tier response force, while the Pakistan Army will remain available as the third-tier security reinforcement.
Both forces will operate in standby and quick-reaction roles rather than assuming responsibility for routine polling station security. The arrangement is designed to ensure that additional personnel can be mobilised quickly if disturbances, violence or other security threats emerge during the election process.
Gujranwala By-Election
In NA-77 Gujranwala-I, the by-election follows the death of veteran PML-N parliamentarian Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk in September. The ruling party is seeking to retain the constituency through his son, Rashid Bashir Virk, who has entered the electoral contest as its candidate.
He faces competition from independent contenders and smaller political groups, including Pakistan Markazi Muslim League nominee Qazi Muhammad Ibrahim Gujjar. The constituency has an estimated 518,620 registered voters, including approximately 277,480 men and 241,140 women. Election preparations provide for around 333 polling stations and 963 polling booths to accommodate voters across the constituency. ECP initiated the electoral process in September, followed by candidate nominations, scrutiny and the allocation of election symbols during October.
Sahiwal By-Election
Political activity also intensified in PP-203 Sahiwal-VI, largely covering the Chichawatni area, where another PML-N-held seat became vacant following the death of Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif Jutt. The former Punjab Assembly member reportedly died after suffering a cardiac arrest in mid-September.
The constituency is preparing for its second by-election since the 2024 general elections, with an earlier contest having taken place in November 2025 following a disqualification. PML-N nominated Muhammad Asad Hanif, a relative of the deceased lawmaker, while Muhammad Awais Mahmood is contesting on the platform of Tehreek-e-Ehsas Pakistan (TEP).
The electoral contests are taking place against the backdrop of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s decision to boycott the by-elections, continuing a strategy adopted in several recent contests. In PP-203, several other major political parties have also stayed out of the race. Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and Jamaat-e-Islami have not nominated candidates for the provincial assembly constituency.
November 8 contests come amid continuing series of by-elections across Punjab since the 2024 general elections, with several parliamentary seats becoming vacant because of deaths, resignations and disqualifications. Authorities are now focusing on ensuring that voters can reach polling stations without disruption and that election officials can carry out their responsibilities in a secure environment.
With more than 776,000 registered voters across the two constituencies, the upcoming polls will test electoral participation, local political influence and the effectiveness of security arrangements as Punjab prepares for another round of voting on November 8.
