Lahore, Pakistan – Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N party is facing its first major political challenge on Sunday in a by-election widely seen to be a barometer for whether he has managed to maintain support in his political heartland following his dismissal from office.
Sharif's wife Kulsoom will be running for the parliamentary seat vacated by her husband after his disqualification by the Supreme Court in July over an omission in his parliamentary wealth declaration.
Voting was under way in Lahore on Sunday, after campaigning for the seat concluded late on Friday night.
On Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking a review of its decision to disqualify Sharif, although a separate bench is still deliberating on whether the ban on holding public office is permanent.
The court also referred Sharif, three of his children and several aides to an anti-corruption court for trial on charges that he looted state wealth during his previous two terms as prime minister in the 1990s.
Campaigning in the NA-120 constituency, located in the heart of the eastern city of Lahore, has been fierce, with the PML-N chief's daughter Maryam Nawaz – herself facing corruption charges – leading more than a month of rallies and campaign events.
Kulsoom Nawaz, 66, has spent much of the campaign undergoing treatment for her recently diagnosed lymphoma in the UK.
Nawaz's party has won the parliamentary seat consistently since it began contesting elections in 1985.
Analysts say Sunday's by-poll will be a key indicator as to whether Sharif's dismissal has led to an erosion of support.
"This result definitely matters," says Nusrat Javed, a senior journalist with decades of experience covering elections in Lahore.
"This constituency is right in the middle of Lahore, so we will see how the public is taking [the Supreme Court verdict].
"If they lose the public sentiment here, then the narrative against them has really taken hold."
Javed expects Sharif to hold onto the constituency, but feels the poll is an important bellwether for upcoming national elections in mid-2018.
"If [the opposition candidate] Yasmin Rashid wins, even by 200 votes, then the Nawaz Sharif story is over."