Pakistan Election Highlights: Voting, marred by violence, ends; results expected tomorrow

Mobile phone services suspended across Pakistan as voting begins

Pakistan temporarily suspended mobile phone services on Thursday to strengthen security as voting began in the country's national election, the interior ministry said.

The government's decision comes amidst a rise in militant attacks in the run-up to the election and a day after jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan urged his supporters to wait outside polling booths after voting until results are announced.

Pakistan votes amid polarisation, militant attacks and economic crisis

The main contests are expected to be between candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the last national election, and the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif, who is considered the front-runner. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the 35-year-old son of former premier Benazir Bhutto, has also run an aggressive campaign in an outside bid for the top office.

PML-N likely to emerge as single largest party followed by PPP: Report

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz will likely emerge as the single largest party and the Pakistan Peoples Party as a distant second followed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other parties, according to a media report on Wednesday.

It came out of an official assessment report compiled on the basis of information collected from police sources, revenue department, labour unions and interviews with professionals in different fields, an official told The News.

Pak to close border with Afghanistan, Iran as part of efforts to maintain peace on election day

At least 30 killed in twin blasts in Pakistan's Balochistan yesterday

At least 30 people were killed and more than 40 others injured on Wednesday in twin blasts targeting election offices in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, a day before the general elections in the coup-prone country. In the first incident, a powerful blast outside the office of independent candidate Asfandyar Khan Kakar in Pishin district killed 20 people and wounded 30 others.

Less than an hour later, another blast took place outside the election office of a Jamiat-Ulema Islam-Pakistan in the Killa Abdullah area claiming the lives of 10 people and injuring 22 others, officials said.

Voters arrive at a polling booth in Islamabad, as parliamentary general elections get under way in Pakistan

No govt instructions to block internet during polls, says Pakistan Telecom Authority

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has said that internet services will remain functional on Thursday as the people are voting to elect a new government.

The PTA in a statement on Wednesday said it had not yet received any instructions from the government to shut internet and that services would work without any interruption on Thursday.

The PTI has termed the suspension of mobile services across the country an “infuriating betrayal” by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, reports Dawn

Al Jazeera reports shooting incident at a polling station leading to the death of a polling officer. Voting at the station suspended

Security official killed in shooting at one of the polling stations in Tank in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

Voting to elect new government under way

Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan votes by postal ballot, wife Bushra Bibi misses out

Aseefa Zardari Bhutto casts her vote

Internet blackouts in effect in multiple regions of Pakistan

Mumtaz, 86, a voter, speaks to an election worker at a polling station in a school on the day of the general election, in Islamabad, Pakistan

Credit: Reuters Photo

Nearly 6,50,000 security personnel deployed across Pakistan as at least 30 people were killed yesterday in twin blasts in the restive Balochistan province.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a total of 5,121 candidates are in the race for the National Assembly (NA) seats. These include 4,807 male, 312 female and two transgenders. For the four provincial assemblies, 12,695 candidates are in the field including 12,123 males, 570 women and two transgenders.

Voting under way in Pakistan

Pakistani cricketers urge citizens to vote

3 female polling agents attacked in Tappi

Credit: X/@mjdawar

Pakistan shuts borders, suspends mobile services to secure polling day

Credit: Reuters Photo

Pakistan temporarily shut some of its land borders and suspended mobile phone services on Thursday as it beefed up security for voters in a general election that has been preceded by a surge in militant violence.

The government's decision to deploy tens of thousands of troops at polling stations and across the country comes after two blasts near election offices, for which Islamic State later claimed responsibility, killed 26 people in the southwestern province of Balochistan on Wednesday.

Bilawal Bhutto says internet connectivity must be restored 'immediately'

Faisalabad police uproot candidates’ camps within 100 m of polling station, reports Dawn

Thousands of soldiers have been deployed at polling stations across the country and borders with Iran and Afghanistan have temporarily been closed for the elections: Al Jazeera

Voting under way in Pakistan

Man posing as policeman arrested outside polling station in NA-31 Peshawar, reports Ary news

Man posing as policeman arrested outside polling station, claim media reports

Bomb blast, shooting kill four police officials: Reuters

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif casts his vote at a polling station during the general election, in Lahore

Credit: Reuters Photo

Explosion reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

Pakistan’s Chief Election Commissioner assures mobile service suspension cannot hamper his agency’s work

Amid the suspension of mobile services in Pakistan due to the “deteriorating security situation,” Pakistan's Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja on Thursday said its Election Management System is not dependent on the Internet and its work will not be affected due to it. (PTI)

HRCP demands immediate restoration of internet, cellular services across Pakistan

The Human Rights Commission Pakistan (HRCP), in a post on X, said, "With the PTA claiming it has received no instructions from the government to block internet services, there is a worrying lack of transparency about where, when and how long the disruption will continue, thereby affecting voters’ right to information and potentially the transmission of results."

Two reportedly killed, nine injured in another blast

Two security forces were killed and at least nine others were injured in a blast outside a polling station in southwestern Pakistan.

"There was a blast in Lajja town in which two of our men got martyred and nine others got injured," Al Jazeera quoted a security personnel as saying.

Voters in Balochistan head to polls amid security threat, violence

Despite twin bombings at election offices earlier, voters in Balochistan have emerged to cast their votes, Al Jazeera reported.

"But we came out anyway because for the sake of our future. We hope for the best," a voter told the publication, while another added, "I came here to vote for a better future. The security arrangements are what convinced me to leave home and come to the polls. I urge my brothers to come and vote."

Pakistani celebs share their inked thumbs, encourage people to vote

Many Pakistani celebrities, including actors and cricketers, on Thursday posted their photos after casting votes in the general elections and urged the voters to participate in the electoral process to choose the best representatives.

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PTI polling agents kidnapped amid accusations of vote rigging

Several PTI polling agents were kidnapped in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan amid polling, Al Jazeera reported.

The party claims suspension of internet and phone services shows that there is ongoing vote rigging in the country.

30 mins left for polling to officially close

Polling is slated to end at 5 pm local time (1200 hrs GMT).

Polling time reportedly extended in some regions

Although polling was slated to end at 5 pm local time (1200 hrs GMT) in Pakistan, Al Jazeera is reporting that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has extended the polling time in certain areas.

Long queues of voters in some areas as polling time extended

There are long queues of voters across several booths in Lahore and Karachi, Al Jazeera reports. Voting time has been extended for certain areas.

Voting, marred by violence, ends for most of Pakistan

Voters queue to vote at a polling station in a school during a general election, in Islamabad, Pakistan February 8, 2024.

Voting concluded across Pakistan on Thursday in an election marred by sporadic violence and connectivity issues after the government suspended mobile and internet services to foil terror attacks.

The polling started at 8.00 am and continued without any break till 5.00 pm. A countrywide public holiday was declared to enable a total of 128,585,760 registered voters to cast their ballots.

The time for voting ended but the people present inside the premises of the polling stations were allowed to cast their votes.

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