Highlights | Pakistan Election 2024: Counting Of Votes Underway Amid Rigging Concerns

New Delhi: Pakistan wrapped up its general election on Thursday, amid reports of violence and connectivity problems. The government had cut off mobile and internet services to prevent terror attacks. The voting began at 8.00 AM and went on till 5.00 PM without any break. A public holiday was announced to let 128,585,760 registered voters exercise their franchise.

The people who were inside the polling stations at the end of the voting time were allowed to cast their votes. Some polling stations faced delays in the voting process and a terror attack killed four policemen on election duty.

The votes would be counted in front of the agents of different candidates and the results would be announced by the presiding officers. The returning officers would compile the final results of the constituencies.

The results are expected to start coming in before midnight and most of them would be known by the morning. The first result is likely to come after 6.30 pm.

The political parties were unhappy with the disruption of cellular and internet services during the polls and questioned the fairness of the election. About 650,000 security personnel were deployed across the country.

Nawaz Sharif's PML-N is predicted to be the largest party in the election, as former prime minister Imran Khan is in jail. Khan's PTI candidates are running as independents, as the Supreme Court denied his party its cricket 'bat' symbol.

08 February 2024

18:29 IST

Pak Elections Live Udpdates: Interim PM Hails High Voter Turnout

Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar lauded the people of Pakistan for the “smooth execution” of the general elections, soon after the polling ended across the country.

17:55 IST

Pakistan Election Results Live Updates: Counting Of Votes Underway

Counting of votes is underway after polling concluded at five in the evening.

17:34 IST

Live Updates | Voting Concludes For Pakistan Election 2024

The voting time has ended in Pakistan at 5pm, in a troubled election that saw the government cut off mobile and internet services. Several incidents of slow voting process were reported from different polling stations across the nation and a terror attack targeted security personnel on duty.

17:18 IST

LIVE Updates | Pakistan Elections: PTI Requests Extra Hour Of Voting 

PTI seeks more time for voting as polls witness huge turnout The PTI has asked for an extra hour of voting time, which is scheduled to end at 5pm. The party’s chief organiser Omar Ayub said in a statement on X that many voters braved various obstacles to cast their ballots today. “The election staff have reported many issues that slowed down the polling process,” it said. He said that the PTI would file an official request for the extension of the voting time.

16:41 IST

Pakistan Elections Live Updates: PPP Writes To CJP Over Internet Suspension

The PPP has appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to “issue instructions” in the issue of internet services being cut off nationwide, which it claims has “affected voter participation”, Dawn reported.

16:21 IST

LIVE Updates | Pak Elections: Sindh’s Urban Areas Witness Low Voter Turnout

The voting day started with a dismal participation — as the MQM in Karachi announced a shutdown in the city. The traffic was disrupted and many voters stayed away from the polling stations.

Many voters said that they could not get the information about where to vote on time because of the phone services being cut off.

16:02 IST

Live Updates | Pakistan Elections: Bilawal Casts Vote In Larkana

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former foreign minister, has exercised his democratic right at a polling station in Larkana district. He voted at the Government Boys Primary School No. 3 of Naudero, which falls under the municipal committee of Tehsil Ratodero and is numbered as 157.

15:23 IST

Pakistan Voting Live Updates: Grenade Attacks Aacross Balochistan; Police Team Attacked In KP

The voting day in Pakistan has again been marred by violence in certain regions. While grenade attacks were reported in various areas of Balochistan, the polling process remained unaffected as there were no casualties, according to Saeed Ahmed Umrani, the commissioner of the Makran division. On a contrasting note, in the Kulachi area of the Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a bomb blast and firing targeted a police patrol, resulting in the martyrdom of four policemen, as confirmed by the local police chief Rauf Qaisrani.

15:07 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Suspension Of Internet To Create More Chaos, Says Lawyer

Nighat Dad, a lawyer leading the non-profit organization Digital Rights Foundation, has condemned the disruption of mobile and internet services, labeling it as an assault on the democratic rights of Pakistanis. She emphasized that the shutdown of mobile phone services is not an effective solution to address national security concerns and is likely to result in increased disorder.

14:38 IST

Pakistan Polls Live News: PPP Urges EC To Remove Mobile Services Ban

Sherry Rehman, the ex-minister for climate change and PPP leader, has submitted a petition to the election commission in Lahore, protesting the suspension of mobile and internet services. Addressing the media outside the electoral watchdog's office, Rehman voiced her apprehensions about the disruption of internet services on the day of the election and urged for the prompt restoration of these services.

14:11 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Low Female Voter Turnout

According to reports, voter turnout has been abysmally low in rural areas especially due to the establishment of combined polling stations. Earlier, there used to be separate polling stations for males and female.

13:37 IST

Live Pakistan Election: Nawaz Sharif Casts His Vote In Lahore

#WATCH | PML-N leader & former PM Nawaz Sharif votes in Pakistan general election 2024, in Lahore

(Video source: ARY via Reuters) pic.twitter.com/nO2y8oZ8jx

— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2024

13:34 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Police Patrolling Increased In Faisalabad, Other Sensitive Areas

In Pakistan, Police teams have intensified patrolling sensitive areas in Faisalabad and other cities during the ongoing polls. A police spokesman said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established a total of 3,687 polling stations in the district, where 475 polling stations were declared most sensitive and 1,695 declared sensitive. The police department has implemented stringent security measures for these polling stations, deploying over 16,900 security personnel, as stated by the spokesperson. Additionally, specialized units such as the dolphin force, elite force, and quick response force have been mobilized to conduct thorough patrolling, particularly in sensitive areas, to prevent any untoward incidents.

12:34 IST

Pakistan Voting Live Updates: Jamat-I-Islami Leader Decries Mobile Services Suspension

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has slammed the administration over suspension of mobile services on the election day. Speaking to the media after casting his vote, he said, “This is a great injustice with the 250 million population of Karachi, where they have shut down mobile services.”

12:05 IST

2024 Pakistan Election Live Updates: Bilawal Bhutto To Approach ECP, Court Against Ban On Mobile Services

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari today reacted sharply to the ban on mobile internet services in the country and said that it must be restored immediately. Bhutto further said that he has asked the party to approach the Election Commission of Pakistan and the courts in this regard.

11:13 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: What Imran Khan Said In His Video Message

In a video message posted on his official handle, Imran Khan urged his supporters to come out and vote in largenumbers. In a video message on February 7, Khan said, "Elections are tomorrow. I want you to come out and bring out as many people as you know. Because you will change the fate of yourself as well as that of your children through these elections."

11:03 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Mounting Challenges For Leaders

The polls comes after much delay and mounting challenges, including economic uncertainty, frequent militant attacks, and climate catastrophes, putting millions at risk. This sets the stage for a difficult road to recovery for whoever wins in a nation where no democratically elected prime minister has ever completed a full term in office.

10:18 IST

Pakistan Polls Live Updates: Control Room Established To Monitor Law and Order Situation

Pakistan's Caretaker Interior Ministry has established a control room to monitor the overall situation during the general elections. The control room includes representatives of all relevant institutions, including the Interior Department, police and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to perform their duties in the control room. Furthermore, information sharing between law enforcement agencies and other relevant agencies is being ensured in this room.

10:00 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Four Transgender, 1157 Women In Fray

There are total of 17,816 candidates of which 12,695 will be contesting for provincial assembly seats and 5,121 for the National Assembly. They include 16,930 males, 882 females and four transgender persons. Of these, 6,031 candidates -- 5,726 males and 275 females -- are contesting on a political party's ticket. The remaining 11,785 are contesting as independents, of which 11,174 are males, 607 females and four transgender persons.

09:42 IST

Pakistan National Polls Live Updates: Election Postponed In One National, 3 Provincial Seats

Elections have been postponed in one national and three provincial assembly constituencies due to the deaths of contesting candidates. This includes NA-8 (Bajaur), PK-22 (Bajaur), PK-91 (Kohat) and PP-266 (Rahim Yar Khan). Voters elsewhere will cast two votes each -- one for each of the two assemblies.

09:12 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Borders With Iran, Afghanistan Closed

Pakistan has announced the closure of its borders with neighbouring Afghanistan and Iran to ensure security during the general elections. The decision, disclosed by Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Wednesday, aims to maintain stability during the polling process.

09:06 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Brisk Turnout As Nation States At Economic Crisis

A brisk voter turnout has been recorded during initial hours. A recent World Bank report stated that Pakistan's economic development is limited to the elite which resulted in the country lagging behind its fellow countries in the wake of the economic crisis in Pakistan, Pakistan vernacular media reported. World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, Najy Benhassine, noted that Pakistan's economic model has become "ineffective" and said that poverty has started to increase again, the significant reduction in poverty in the past is resurfacing, the sentiment is growing towards changing the policy and that economic development in Pakistan is not sustainable.

08:47 IST

Pakistan Voting Live Updates: Winner Faces Crown Of Challenges

Pakistan's caretaker administration, led by Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, has failed to address the country's economic dysfunction amidst growing debt and inflation. The incoming administration will face significant challenges in handling the crisis-stricken economy since the IMF bailout agreement expires in March. Thus, the winner of the polls will have a mammoth task at their disposal to recorrect the path of Pakistan's economy and combat terrorism.

08:24 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Defence Expert Says Results Of Polls Pre-Fixed

On the unrest in Pakistan ahead of the country's upcoming Parliamentary Elections, Defence Expert Qamar Agha said, "The result of these elections is pre-decided, right from who will be the Prime Minister to how many seats will each party win. If you see there are 2 main candidates, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto. On one hand, Nawaz Sharif is trying to emerge as the single largest party, but if he forms a government in coalition, then he might promote his daughter Maryam as Prime Minister. Nawaz Sharif's relations with the Pakistan Army have improved, his family has been rehabilitated, and he has been forgiven for his crimes. Violence is regularly going on in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Even if the army manages these elections, running the government will be a very difficult task seeing the serious economic crisis and political instability in the country."

08:01 IST

Pakistan Voting Live Updates: Voting Begins Amid High Security

Voting to elect 266 members of the national assembly is underway in Pakistan. The voting began at 8am and there are a total of 13 crore voters.

07:49 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Majority Mark, Reserved Seats

The candidates of smaller political parties will hold significant importance in formation of the government, which requires 169 seats in the 336-member National Assembly for a majority. Out of the total, 266 members are directly elected by voters, while an additional 70 reserved seats are allocated – 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims. The distribution of these reserved seats is based on the number of seats secured by each party in the election.

07:23 IST

Pakistan Voting Live Updates: Country On High Alert, Forces Deployed

Pakistan is on high alert, with the military deployed at polling stations especially amid several terror attacks in the last few weeks. Tens of thousands of troops and paramilitary soldiers have been put on duty across the country. Pakistan also said it was closing its borders with Iran and Afghanistan for the day for security purposes.

07:01 IST

Pakistan Polls Live Updates: Total Candidates And Voters

There are a tota of 17-18 thousand candidates contesting from 266 seats while there are over 13 crore voters.

06:52 IST

Pakistan Election Live Updates: Will Khan-Backed Independents Make Or Break Fortune? 

A majority of independent candidates, many of whom are being backed by Imran Khan, are free to join any party if they win, which could swing fortunes after the vote. Khan has said his candidates will not back Sharif or Bhutto Zardari. However, since the candidates are contesting on different symbols after Khan's party and political symbol were barred from the polls.

06:35 IST

Pakistan Elections Live Updates: Smaller Parties To Play Kingmaker

Smaller political parties could play a crucial role in the formation of a government as in a triangular contest among Imran Khan, Bilawal Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, no clear winner is being predicted. In case of a hung assembly, smaller political parties will be the kingmaker.

06:29 IST

Pakistan General Elections Live Updates: Voting Starts At 8AM

The voting for the deeply polarised Pakistan elections will start at 8am and end at 5pm. The counting of votes will start soon after the voting concludes. While tentative results will be out by late evening, a clear picture will be known only by tomorrow.