By KUNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani Parliamentary by-elections started Thursday under tight security, however clashes between rival groups were reported at several polling stations.
By-elections for 28 National and Provincial Assemblies started early on Thursday.
Strict security measures had been taken to maintain law and order in the relevant constituencies for smooth polling.
More than 4,000 policemen were deployed at 562 polling stations in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to Islamabad.
However, despite stringent security measures, clashes were reported at several polling stations in eastern Punjab and North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). According to police sources, more than ten persons were wounded in clashes at polling station in Khanewal district of Punjab province. Whereas, sources told KUNA, rival groups resorted to firing in Naushehra district of NWFP that wounded at least five persons, one of them critically. Similar reports were also reported from Battgram and Sawat districts. Meanwhile, elections in one National Assembly seats were delayed at the request of the Federal government on Wednesday after the Lahore High Court disqualified the candidature of Nawaz Sharif, chief of ruling coalition partner Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).
Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani had announced to appeal the case in the Supreme Court.