Fafen’s report, released on Tuesday, highlighted low voter turnout, procedural irregularities, and limitations on independent observation in two provincial constituencies in Punjab during the April 21 by-elections. Despite improvements in results management and reduced exclusion of ballots, concerns arose over obstacles faced by observers and declining voter participation, particularly in Lahore. The Election Commission of Pakistan met legal result reporting deadlines, but disruptions in cellular data services affected some regions. Notably, the majority of incumbents retained their seats, with exceptions in PP-36 Wazirabad and PP-93 Bhakkar. These by-elections were necessitated by candidate deaths and seat vacations, with one constituency requiring a re-poll following a Supreme Court ruling. Amidst these events, a PTI-backed independent candidate challenged uncontested elections, adding to the electoral complexity. Fafen’s observations, based on data collected from 532 polling stations, shed light on these electoral dynamics.
