It’s polling day across Pakistan. People are turning up at polling stations to cast their votes, and celebrities are right in there too.
Many Pakistani stars, including Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ayeza Khan, Khalid Anam, Hina Bayat, Kashif Mehmood, Afzal Khan, Sahiba, Osman Khalid Butt, Mahira Khan, Nadia Hussain, Naveen Waqar have already voted. Hina Bayat gave a special message, asking everyone to vote quickly.
Below, you’ll see some pictures and videos of them taking part in the elections.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif cast his vote in NA-128 Lahore.
Nawaz Sharif voted for Imran Khan’s former bestie and Istehkam-e-Pakistan’s (IPP) leader, Aun Chaudhry.
Aun was a member of PTI for a long time and a close associate of Khan. PMLN has supported his candidacy as Nawaz and his family have voted for Aun.
In a controversial move, the Interior Ministry of Pakistan has shut down mobile internet and phones across the country. The move was made minutes before polling stations opened Thursday morning at 8 am.
To find out what voters could do to find out what their polling information is, since they can no longer send a text message to 8300, The Current contacted Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi.
“A serious voter will know all the details already,” he told us on the phone, using WiFi for the call. “Serious voters find out a day before what their polling information is like I did. I messaged 8300 the night before and wrote all my information.”
When we asked if a voter wasn’t able to before, or wasn’t a ‘serious voter’ but was still a ‘voter’ what can they do? “Well, a voter should know his constituency number. They can go to any polling station in their area and might be able to find it,” he said.
When asked that some people can’t find their polling stations easily, and now that the internet is down, what can they do? He recommended that “for those who want to get to their polling station via Google maps, they should print the map at home and then take it and follow it. I used to do this when I was in America, and it’s very easy to do.”
Solangi also said that people used to vote before mobiles existed and can now as well.
But if a voter has issues finding their information, PTI is offering an alternative. You can send your ID card number to Imran Khan’s Facebook page and they will reply, with your block number, polling station. Even if you are not a PTI voter, you will still be able to get your relevant information.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif has cast his vote in NA-128 Lahore along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz. Nawaz Sharif cast his vote for the first time in nearly six years.
As voters queued up to participate in the contentious elections in Pakistan, a significant disruption emerged: the suspension of mobile phone services across the country.
While authorities defended the measure as a necessary step to maintain order, critics argued that it severely limited access to vital information during the crucial voting process.
The decision to suspend mobile services has sparked concerns among citizens, particularly regarding their ability to locate their designated polling stations using the 8300 SMS service, a widely relied-upon method for voters to find their voting locations.
They can also not use Google Maps to reach their desired location and ride-hailing applications are also not working.
Furthermore, the suspension of mobile services has hindered the reporting and highlighting of irregularities in the elections.
Without access to mobile networks, citizens are facing challenges in documenting and sharing any potential discrepancies or violations occurring at polling stations, raising questions about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) wants people to use their toll-free numbers to lodge complaints directly with the ECP, but citizens cannot do so because their mobile networks are not working.
Amidst the disruptions, some citizens have suggested utilizing Wi-Fi devices or cable internet with Wi-Fi routers, removing passwords, and renaming the devices to “free internet” to facilitate access for those nearby.
If you can’t send or receive messages from 8300, send your CNIC number to Imran Khan’s Facebook page and you will get the details of your polling station.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari wants the mobile service across the country to be restored. The former foreign minister wrote a post on X (previously Twitter) saying, “Mobile phone services must be restored immediately across the country. I have asked my party to approach both ECP and the courts for this purpose.”
Other politicians are also agreeing with BBZ, including Independent candidate and former PPP minister, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
The federal Ministry of Interior has confirmed on Thursday morning that internet services on mobile data across the country have been suspended after a dramatic surge of terror attacks just a day before the country goes to polls.
“Recent surge in terrorist activities resulting in precious lives have stirred security environment in the country. In the light of deteriorating security situation and to mitigate potential security threats, need has risen to take by measures to safeguard against it. Therefore, it has been decided to temporarily suspend the mobile services across the country,” a statement issued by the ministry said.
However, WiFi services have not been suspended and remain operational.
The news has been met by dismay on social media as users say it hinders the voting process and blocks candidates from communicating with their polling staff.
On Wednesday, two attacks just a short while apart from each other, killed 27 people in Balochistan while more than 50 people were injured. A grenade attack in Karachi got foiled when the ammo detonated in the hands of the motorcyclist carrying it, while JUI-F’s Hafiz Hamdullah was attacked by gunfire in an assassination attempt that failed.
Pakistan is set to hold its national elections on Thursday, a crucial event for the country grappling with multiple crises.
As the new government prepares to take charge, it faces daunting challenges in stabilising the economy.
Last summer, Pakistan narrowly avoided a sovereign default through a last-minute $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
However, this lifeline is set to end in March, and officials anticipate the need for a new, extended programme.
Negotiating this program swiftly is imperative for the incoming government, as the economy is burdened by record-high inflation and slow growth resulting from stringent reforms.
The country’s headline inflation stood at 28.3 per cent year-on-year in January, slightly lower than December’s 29.7 per cent. Despite government expectations, citizens are anxious for the new administration to address the soaring inflation that has significantly impacted their daily lives.
Moreover, recent increases in gas prices, with a 35.13 per cent hike for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and 8.57 per cent for Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), add to the economic challenges. The move, effective from January 1, 2024, is the second increase in gas prices this fiscal year.
In addition to rising gas prices, the cost of petrol and diesel has surged, with a notable increase of Rs13.55 per litre announced on February 1, 2024. This hike is attributed to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, including Israel’s conflict with Gaza and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
Amid these economic hardships, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved an increase in electricity tariffs for distribution companies (Discos) by Rs4.57 per unit for December 2023. This adjustment addresses the escalating fuel costs impacting the power sector.
The new government is also expected to address the exchange rate concerns as the Pakistani rupee struggles against the US dollar, currently standing at around Rs279.
The disparity has led to increased prices for essential commodities, further straining the population.
Adding to the complexity of the upcoming elections is the high political tension, with former prime minister Imran Khan describing a crackdown on him and his party.
Khan, who has been in jail since August, faces pending cases, including accusations of ordering violent attacks on military installations.
Despite his imprisonment, Khan maintains substantial popular support, and continued political unrest could jeopardise the stability needed for economic recovery and foreign investment.
As Pakistan stands at a critical juncture, the incoming government’s ability to navigate these challenges will determine the nation’s economic trajectory in the coming years.
Our Election Handbook is finally here.
It’s been a long journey filled with tears, sweat, and countless sleepless nights (quite literally) as we meticulously researched your candidate.
Do you know what your candidate thinks about women’s rights, transgender rights, climate change, and minority issues? We looked through official government and party websites, news articles, news videos to find information on what your candidate thinks about issues that matter to you. We only had the manpower to do 50 candidates and hope it helps you make the decision on who to vote for in your city. The handbook is added, page by page, below but if you rather download it, here is the link:
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The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while talking to GEO News, said that he had a good working relationship with Shehbaz Sharif. The former foreign minister also said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are doing ‘politics of hate’.
Bilawal also stated that the politics of hate needs to end, as all politicians should respect each other. On the question of missing persons in the country, a young politician said his party will try to resolve this issue He was also not satisfied with what the caretaker federal government did to the Baloch Long March protesters in December.