Former PM of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif casting his vote.
Major rigging has come to light during the voting for the general elections in Pakistan which started at 8 am today. Some people have also died due to firing at many places. News of election violence is also continuously emerging from many places across the country. Despite all this, voting for general elections is going on in Pakistan. Mobile and internet services have been restricted in view of increasing violence. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan has said that disruption of mobile internet services will not have any impact on the elections.
This time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is hoping for a fourth term with the support of the army. Voting started in the morning and will continue till 5 pm. Shortly after the start of voting, mobile services were suspended across the country in view of the ‘deteriorating security situation’. At the same time, there is also news of death of four policemen posted on election duty and injury of six others in a terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. At least 30 people were killed in twin blasts in the restive Balochistan province on Wednesday, just a day before elections. Due to security reasons, the border with Afghanistan and Iran was closed on Thursday.
More than 12 crore voters are voting
A total of 12,85,85,760 voters across the country will be able to exercise their franchise in these elections. In view of voting, today has been declared a public holiday in the country. Counting of votes will begin immediately after completion of voting. Around 6,50,000 security personnel have been deployed for the general elections. A Home Ministry spokesperson told Geo News that due to the loss of lives in recent terrorist attacks, “we have decided to shut down mobile services on the day of voting.” There are also reports that some cities, including Karachi and Peshawar, Phone services in cities have also been affected. Independent candidate Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, reacting to the suspension of mobile phone services, said shutting down mobile networks on polling day is “the beginning of rigging on the election day.”
Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan said this
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja said that the elections will be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. In response to a question, he said that he has seen the news of mobile service being shut down on TV, such decisions are taken by the Home Ministry. “We will not interfere. Security is not the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan,” he said, adding that the ECP will not ask the ministry to resume services. CEC Raja said, “If we ask them to start mobile service and there is a terrorist attack, who will be responsible?” According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 5,121 candidates are in the fray for the National Assembly, including These include 4,807 males, 312 females and two transgenders. There are 12,695 candidates in the fray for the four provincial assemblies. (Language)
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