Polling concludes in country amid internet, phone signals blackout

By: News Desk
Published: 05:44 PM, 8 Feb, 2024
Polling concludes in country amid internet, phone signals blackout
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Millions of Pakistanis voted Thursday in an election marred by allegations of violence and poll rigging, with the country's most popular politician in jail and a three-time prime minister was tipped to win again, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.


The voting was generally peaceful as there were only sporadic incidents of violence. 




The voting process began at 8am this morning and continued till 5pm.


The Election Commission Pakistan earlier said that exceptions would only be made for people already inside the polling station. However. in some constituncies the ECP has extended the polling time till 7 pm including NA 62 and PP 28.









Authorities said they were suspending mobile telephone services across the country during voting "to maintain law and order" following a bloody election campaign -- including two blasts on Wednesday that killed 31 people.


Long queues were seen outside polling stations in several constituencies across the county. However, there were also reports of delay in starting the elections process at a number of polling stations.


Pollsters have predicted a low turnout from the country's 128 million eligible voters following a lacklustre election campaign overshadowed by the jailing of former prime minister and Imran Khan, and the hobbling of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).


 A PTI official told AFP that Khan had been allowed a postal ballot from Adiala Jail.


The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is expected to win the most seats in Thursday's vote, with analysts saying its 74-year-old founder Nawaz Sharif has won the blessing of the establishment.



"My only fear is whether my vote will be counted for the same party I cast it for. At the same time, for the poor it does not matter who is ruling -- we need a government that can control inflation," Syed Tassawar, a 39-year-old construction worker, who voted in Islamabad's Noorpur Shahan neighbourhood told AFP.


At the same polling station, 22-year-old first-time voter Haleema Shafiq, a psychology student, told AFP: "I believe in democracy. I want a government that can make Pakistan safer for girls."


Polling stations opened at 8:00 am (0300 GMT) and were due to close at 5:00 pm, with voters already inside allowed another hour.


Officials have deployed more than 650,000 army, paramilitary and police personnel to provide security for an election already marred by violence.



Delay at many polling stations


Amid shutdown of internet and mobile network, the polling process could not start at 8am sharp in many polling stations across the country.


According to details, the polling process was delayed in NA-232 Karachi due to non-availability of polling agents and RO claimed that sealing of polling boxes will be made in front of police after further wait of 15 minutes.


In NA-233 polling stations No. 51 and 52 election process was said to be delayed due to absence of polling agents of political parties. RO said in case the polling agents do not turn up, boxes will be sealed under police supervision.


In NA-55 Rawalpindi, the polling process was delayed in polling station no 19. Meanwhile, polling process was reported to be delayed in Peshawar despite rush of voters outside the polling stations.


There are reports the polling process could not take off at most of the polling stations in Jamshoro even after an hour passed due to the incomplete arrangements.


The polling equipment could not be distributed in Hyderabad till now, while the polling staff in NA-220 complained of not handed over the election equipment. District Returning Officer Tariq Qureshi said that the Returning Officer (RO) had the password and ID of the system, only after the RO logs in, the work can be started.


The polling process could not start in PS-2 Thal as the preparations at the polling station were not complete.



128 million eligible to cast vote


According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, over 128 million registered voters will exercise their democratic right by casting votes for candidates participating in elections for the national and provincial legislatures.


The polling is being held for 265 seats of the National Assembly and 590 seats of provincial assemblies.


The voting is taking place on 51 seats of the Balochistan Assembly, 128 out of 130 seats of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 296 out of 297 seats of the Punjab Assembly and 130 seats of the Sindh Assembly.


The polling will take place in 855 constituencies out of 859; however due to the death of the candidates, voting will not be held in NA-8, PP-266, PK-22 and PK-91.


Voters are required to bring their original Computerized National Identity Cards in order to cast the vote. Expired CNIC is also acceptable.The voters can get detail of vote and polling station by sending CNIC number through SMS at 8300.


The Election Commission has established 90,675 polling stations in all four provinces.



- 'Security measures' -


On Wednesday, at least 28 people were killed and more than 30 wounded by two bomb blasts outside the offices of candidates in Balochistan, in attacks claimed hours later by the Islamic State group.


A spokesman for the interior ministry said "precious lives have been lost" in recent militant attacks in Pakistan and "security measures are essential to maintain law and order situation and to deal with potential threats".


"It has been decided to temporarily suspend the mobile service across the country," the spokesman said in a statement.


The foreign ministry said the land borders with neighbours Iran and Afghanistan would also be closed to all traffic Thursday as a security measure.


The election figures are staggering in the nuclear-armed nation of 240 million people -- the world's fifth-most populous.


Nearly 18,000 candidates are standing for seats in the national and four provincial assemblies, with 266 seats directly contested in the former -- an additional 70 reserved for women and minorities -- and 749 places in the provincial assemblies.



- Tables turned -


Thursday's election has a similar air to the 2018 poll, but with the tables turned.


Then, it was Nawaz Sharif who was disqualified from running because of a string of convictions for graft, while Imran Khan swept to power.


"The history of Pakistan elections is chequered with allegations of rigging but also favouritism for a political party -- 2018 saw very similar circumstances," said Bilal Gilani, executive director of polling group Gallup Pakistan. "It's a managed democracy that the military runs."


Unlike the last poll, however, the opposition party has had its name removed from ballots, forcing PTI-selected candidates to run as independents.


Imran Khan, a former international cricketer who led Pakistan to victory in the World Cup in 1992, was last week sentenced to lengthy jail terms for treason, graft, and an illegal marriage.


Analysts say the character assassination shows how worried the establishment is that PTI-selected candidates could still prove a decisive factor in Thursday's vote.


If Nawaz Sharif does not win a ruling majority, he will most likely still take power via a coalition with one or more junior partners -- including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), another family-run dynasty now led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.


Pollsters have said the election has left the population at its most "discouraged" in years.


Whoever wins takes over a deeply divided country, observers say, with the economy in tatters.


Inflation is galloping at nearly 30 percent, the rupee has been in free fall for three years and a balance of payments deficit has frozen imports, severely hampering industrial growth.


Reporters Usman Khan, Rao Dilshad, Aamir Shehzad, Taha Malik


Input from AFP

Categories : Election 2024

News Desk

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