LARKANA: The by-election for Sindh Assembly’s PS-9 Shikarpur III constituency is set to be held on Sunday (December 14).

The seat had fallen vacant after the death of veteran Pakistan Peoples Party leader Agha Siraj Khan Durrani, a former speaker of the assembly.

There are a total of 277,792 registered voters — 148,310 male and 129,482 female — in the constituency.

Speaking to Dawn on Saturday, Returning Officer Anwar Khaskheli said that a total of 178 polling stations have been established — 80 combined and 49 each for men and women — across the constituency.

“Of them, 54 have been declared ‘highly sensitive’, and another 84 ‘sensitive’ in terms of security,” he said.

The process of dispatching election materials from the RO’s camp office was to be completed by Saturday evening.

Strict security measures taken as 54 polling stations declared ‘highly sensitive’ and another 84 ‘sensitive’ DIG office says army, Rangers will be on standby

The eight candidates contesting the by-election included PPP’s Agha Shehbaz Khan Durrani and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Rushdullah Shah.

Provincial Election Commissioner Ijaz Anwar Chohan has issued strict instructions to the District Returning Officer (DRO), District Monitoring Officer (DMO) and Returning Officer (RO), as well as law-enforcement agencies and other relevant departments to ensure free, fair and peaceful conduct of the by-election at all costs, sources said.

He directed the police to remain on alert. He warned that any irregularity, violation of code of conduct or mismanagement would not be tolerated.

A spokesman for the Larkana DIG has said that in order to ensure peaceful polling for the PS-9 Shikarpur-III seat, strict security arrangements have been finalised and a comprehensive security plan has also been prepared.

In view of the vulnerability of certain areas to violence, more than 3,000 police officers and personnel, including SSPs of the entire Larkana police range, would be there to maintain peace as

54 polling stations have been declared ‘highly sensitive’ and another 84 ‘sensitive’, the spokesman said.

“Assistance of Rangers and army may also be sought, if need be,” he added.

According to him, special measures have been taken for the security of election materials while deployment of police personnel at all polling stations has been done. Mobile patrolling within the areas around polling stations will be conducted while a reserved force has been kept standby to deal with any possible emergency situation.

A special control room has been established at the DIG’s office for real time monitoring of the situation and rapid exchange of information.

Larkana DIG Nasir Aftab has issued instructions to all officers and personnel, including the SSPs, to ensure strict implementation of the security plan and full compliance with the election commission’s code of conduct.

The police and district administration have appealed to citizens to exercise their right to franchise without any fear. In case of any suspicious activity, the nearest police station should be immediately approached, citizens have been advised.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2025