Pakistanis begin voting in national election with Khan in jail

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
8 Feb 2024 05:41

Pollsters have predicted a low turnout from the country's 128 million eligible voters following an election campaign overshadowed by the jailing of the former PM.

Election presiding officers wait to collect voting materials at a distribution center in Islamabad on February 7, 2024, a day prior to Pakistan’s national elections. (Photo by Farooq NAEEM / AFP)

Millions of Pakistanis began voting Thursday in a national election, with the country's most popular politician, former prime minister Imran Khan, in jail.

Authorities announced 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 28 people.

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

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 country's military generals.

Polling stations opened at 8:00 am (0300 GMT) and were due to close at 6:00 pm. Officials have deployed more than 650,000 army, paramilitary and police personnel to provide security for an election already marred by violence.

"It has been decided to temporarily suspend the mobile service across the country," a spokesperson for the Pakistani Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The spokesman 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."

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

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said the land borders with neighbors Iran and Afghanistan would be closed to all traffic on Thursday as a security measure.

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 regional parliaments.

The opposition has had its election symbol banned -- removing PTI from the ballot box altogether and forcing PTI-selected candidates to run as independents. Last week Khan was sentenced to lengthy jail terms for treason, graft, and an illegal marriage.

Analysts believe that if 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).