The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has scheduled a by-election for October 30 to fill the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senate seat left vacant by the disqualification of Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, who was unseated following his conviction in cases related to the May 9, 2023 turmoil.

The electoral body unveiled the timeline on Thursday, stating that prospective candidates can file their nomination papers on October 8 and 9. The submitted documents will undergo scrutiny on October 13.

The senatorial position became available after the ECP, on August 5, 2025, removed Mr. Faraz from office along with several other prominent lawmakers. The sweeping action also unseated National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Hamid Raza, Rai Haider, Rai Hassan, Rai Murtaza, Zartaj Gul, Ansar Iqbal, and Junaid Afzal.

In total, the directive from the electoral commission resulted in the ousting of one senator, five Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), and three members of the Punjab Assembly.

These disqualifications were a direct consequence of convictions in legal proceedings connected to the widespread unrest that occurred on May 9, 2023. The protests erupted nationwide following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The demonstrations at the time escalated, leading to attacks on political offices as well as military and civilian installations. The subsequent violence resulted in at least eight fatalities and left nearly 300 people injured.

An anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad had previously sentenced Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, and 193 other PTI leaders and workers to prison terms of up to 10 years in connection with the May 9 incidents.

In its announcement, the ECP reiterated that transparent by-elections would be conducted to fill the vacant positions and affirmed that no one would be permitted to take the law into their own hands.