The Election Commission of Pakistan has called Information Minister Attaullah Tarar to answer questions about the NA-77 by-election in Gujranwala. The election body says he may have broken the rules of the campaign. Voting in the seat is taking place today, Sunday, November 8, 2026.
The commission took up the matter on Saturday. It said the result of the NA-77 vote could be held back until it reaches a final decision. Voters will cast their ballots today, but the outcome may not be announced at once.
The case centres on a visit by the minister to the area and a speech he gave at a campaign event. The election body wants to know if that visit crossed a clear line in its code of conduct.
Why ECP Summoned Tarar
Mr Tarar travelled to the constituency by helicopter and spoke at a campaign event for Rashid Bashir Virk, the PML-N candidate in NA-77. The visit drew the attention of the election body, which moved quickly to seek reports from local election officers.
The code of conduct for elections bars public office holders from taking part in campaign work. Federal ministers fall under that bar. They may not use their office to back a candidate or to sway voters in a seat where polling is due.
The rule has a plain purpose. A minister holds power and public funds. If a minister campaigns, voters may feel pressure. The ban keeps the race fair for all sides.
The commission has asked the district monitoring officer and the district returning officer for reports on the visit. It has also told Mr Tarar to appear before it in person. Its statement did not set a date for his appearance, according to Business Recorder.
In short, a minister who flies into a seat and speaks at a rally is taking part in a campaign. The law stops ministers from doing that while an election is under way. The aim is simple: every candidate should get a fair chance.
NA-77 By-Election in Numbers
The by-election in NA-77 is a large contest. More than half a million voters are on the rolls, and eleven candidates are in the race. The table below sets out the key figures.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Registered voters | 518,620 |
| Male voters | 277,480 |
| Female voters | 241,140 |
| Polling stations | 333 |
| Male polling stations | 142 |
| Female polling stations | 137 |
| Combined polling stations | 54 |
| Candidates in the race | 11 |
| Winner votes in 2024 | 109,704 |
| Runner-up votes in 2024 | 91,825 |
| Winning margin in 2024 | 17,879 |
| Seat vacant since | 11 September 2026 |
In the 2024 general election, Mahmood Bashir Virk won the seat with 109,704 votes. Rashida Tariq came second with 91,825 votes. The gap between them was 17,879 votes. The seat has been empty since September 11, 2026.
What Happens Next
Voting is under way today in two seats. People in NA-77, also called Gujranwala-I, are voting for a new member of the National Assembly. Voters in PP-203, also called Sahiwal-VI, are voting for a new member of the Punjab Assembly.
The election body’s inquiry will go on after polling ends. Until it decides the matter, the NA-77 result may be held back. That step is rare, and it shows how seriously the commission views the complaint.
Three major parties are not in the NA-77 race. The PTI, the PPP and the Jamaat-i-Islami have not fielded candidates in the seat, according to Dawn. That leaves the field open for the remaining candidates.
Background: NA-77 Seat History
NA-77 fell vacant after the death of Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk, a five-time member of the National Assembly. He died on September 11, 2026, after a long illness. He was known as a firm loyalist of the PML-N.
Mr Virk first won a seat in the National Assembly in 1997. He lost the next election in 2002. He returned to the house in 2008 and then won four elections in a row. His long run made him one of the best-known faces of the party in Gujranwala.
His son, Rashid Bashir Virk, now carries the PML-N flag in the by-election. The family link is a key part of the contest, and the party hopes voters will back the son as they backed the father.
PP-203 also fell vacant after a death. PML-N lawmaker Hanif Jutt died of cardiac arrest on September 17, 2026. He had won the seat in a by-election in November 2025 with 46,820 votes. That vote took place after the first winner, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, a PTI-backed independent, was disqualified after a conviction by an anti-terrorism court.
Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt, the nephew of the late Hanif Jutt, is among the candidates for PP-203. The PML-N has fielded him to hold a seat the family won only last year.
He allegedly visited NA-77 by helicopter and addressed a campaign rally for the PML-N candidate, which the code of conduct bars ministers from doing.
Yes, the ECP said the result could be withheld until a final decision is made on the matter.
The seat fell vacant after the death of five-time MNA Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk on 11 September 2026.
