Bahawalpur: More than 483,000 voters in Bahawalpur's NA-168 constituency are set to elect a new representative in a by-election on September 27, 2026. The election is expected to favor the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), as major opposition parties have not fielded candidates. Munir Iqbal, son of the late Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar, has been awarded the PML-N ticket.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, the by-election is prompted by the passing of Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar, who won the seat in the 2024 General Elections with 58 percent of the vote. The constituency, predominantly urban, includes significant residential, commercial, and institutional areas of Bahawalpur.

The ECP's final list of candidates shows 20 individuals are competing for the seat. The Channar family, with deep political roots in Bahawalpur, faces challengers from other influential political families and networks. Key contenders include Syed Muhammad Irfan Shah, now running as an Independent, and Muhammad Shakeel Qureshi of the Mazloom Olsi Tehreek Pakistan.

Since the 2024 General Elections, the number of registered voters in NA-168 has increased by seven percent. The by-election will feature 292 polling stations, with a focus on security at 22 highly sensitive locations.