{
  "id": 10165408,
  "title": "Polling underway in NA-168 Bahawalpur by-election",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/polling-underway-in-na-168-bahawalpur-by-election-10165408",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-27T07:29:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2033024/polling-underway-in-na-168-bahawalpur-by-election"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the NA-168 Bahawalpur by-election, polling commenced on Sunday with an anticipated tight contest between PML-N's Malik Munir Iqbal Channar and independent candidate Wali Dad Cheema. The election, expected to conclude at 5pm, began at 8am. The Election Commission of Pakistan spokesperson Huda Gohar informed Dawn that voters within the polling station boundaries can continue voting beyond the official closing time. The constituency, which became vacant following the death of Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar in August, has a voter population of 483,143, comprising 248,259 men and 234,614 women across 292 polling stations. At these stations, 307 presiding officers and 941 polling officers and assistant presiding officers have been assigned. The Punjab Home Department had previously requested the federal interior ministry to deploy troops of the army and Rangers for a secure and peaceful election process. Tragedy struck a day before the by-poll when three individuals were injured on September 12 in an armed clash during Cheema's election rally in Baqirpur. The incident erupted amid rival candidate supporters, with some resorting to firing, leading to the injuries.",
  "summary": "BAHAWALPUR: Polling was underway on Sunday in the NA-168 Bahawalpur by-poll, with a close contest expected between PML-N’s Malik Munir Iqbal Channar and independent candidate Wali Dad Cheema. Polling began at 8am and is expected to conclude at 5pm. Spokesperson for the Election Commission of Pakistan, Huda Gohar, told Dawn that voters present within the boundaries of the polling station will be…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Polling underway in NA-168 Bahawalpur by-election",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/polling-underway-in-na-168-bahawalpur-by-election",
        "published": "2026-09-27T07:29:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}