Akhtar Mengal’s resignation: ECP announces by-election schedule for NA-256 Khuzdar

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued the schedule for the by-election in the National Assembly constituency NA-256 (Khuzdar), following the acceptance of the resignation of BNP-Mengal chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal by the National Assembly speaker.

According to the ECP’s official schedule, the by-poll in Khuzdar will be held on April 5, 2026.

Candidates will be able to file their nomination papers from February 20 to February 24, with scrutiny and withdrawal dates to be announced in accordance with election rules.

The seat fell vacant after Mengal resigned from the National Assembly in September 2024, but the resignation was formally accepted by the National Assembly speaker only recently.

The decision ends months of uncertainty over the status of the Khuzdar seat and paves the way for political parties to begin preparations for the contest in the Balochistan constituency.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal had tendered his resignation as a member of the National Assembly in September 2024, amid political disagreements and ongoing disputes over governance and provincial rights.

However, the resignation was not acted upon by the National Assembly speaker until this week, leaving the seat officially occupied for more than a year before the speaker’s recent approval.

NA-256 Khuzdar is considered a key constituency in Balochistan politics, where regional parties and alliances compete for influence.

With the by-election now formally announced by the ECP, political parties are expected to begin candidate selection and mobilization efforts ahead of the April polling date.