The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that the by-elections for the NA-262 Quetta-I seat will be held on January 16, 2025. The seat became vacant following the disqualification of MNA Adil Khan Bazai.
According to the schedule released by the ECP, a public notice will be issued on December 2, with candidates able to submit their nomination papers to the returning officer between December 4 and 6. The list of nominated candidates will be published on December 7, and the scrutiny of the nomination papers will be completed by December 12.
Candidates who wish to challenge the acceptance or rejection of their nomination papers must file appeals by December 16, and these appeals will be decided by election tribunals by December 21. The final list of candidates will be published on December 22, with the last date for withdrawal of candidacy set for December 23. Election symbols will be allotted to candidates on December 24.
The by-election comes after the disqualification of Adil Khan Bazai, who won the seat as an independent candidate in the 2024 general elections. Bazai had initially submitted an affidavit joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) but later switched allegiances to the Sunni Ittehad Council. During the proceedings, Bazai’s lawyer argued that the PML-N membership affidavit was fake, but the ECP ruled that Bazai’s floor-crossing actions violated constitutional provisions, particularly during the voting on the finance bill and constitutional amendments.
Bazai’s disqualification has led to the vacancy of the NA-262 seat, and the by-election will determine his successor.