Live: Elections 2024

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) on Thursday announced support for former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in NA-53 and in return got support from him in the provincial assembly seat of PP-19 in the garrison city.

The decision was announced at a press conference by JUI-F district emir Dr Ziaur Rehman at Jamia Islamia Mosque Kamran Market, Saddar.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has declared that general elections scheduled for February 8 will proceed as planned despite security challenges, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review the worsening law and order situation in the two provinces, Raja said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was fully prepared to hold elections on time and there should be no ambiguity about it.

Raja urged the law enfo­rcement agencies to beware of attempts by various elements to take the law into their own hands on the election day, especially during the counting process and declaration of results.

The meeting was informed that elections are being held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the first time after the merger of erstwhile Fata with the province, but preparations at the administrative level are complete and all resources have been provided to the law enforcement agencies.

Read more here.

The Peshawar High Court adjourned the hearing into a petition against the alleged illegal detention of PTI general secretary in Kohat district Salman Shinwari as he contacted his family and told them he was well and they should wait for a few days for his return.

His whereabouts were not known, according to Barrister Afzal.

The chief justice had warned the government on Wednesday (Jan 31) that he would constitute a larger bench for hearing the matter if the detainee was not freed or his location were not traced until Thursday.

Read more here.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has imposed fines on two candidates for violating the code of conduct while an explanation has also been sought from three other candidates, APP reports.

Following the directives of Sindh Election Commissioner Sharifullah, district monitoring officers and monitoring teams were taking action against violations of the code of conduct in the province of Sindh.

A district monitoring officer imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Khurram Sher Zaman for continuous violations of the code of conduct and not submitting any explanation sought by the authority.

In another case, a fine of Rs 48,000 has been imposed on NA-248 candidate Muhammad Hasan Khan for taking unauthorised steps in Karachi East while he was also instructed to ensure thorough compliance with the election code of conduct.

Meanwhile, notices were issued to the candidate of NA-191 Ali Jan Mazari and the candidate of PS-06 Mehboob Bijarani for displaying weapons in the constituency of Sindh Assembly PS-6 Kashmor.

While in Sukkur, a notice has been issued to the candidate for firing during the election campaign and an explanation has been sought in this regard.

At least 15 political figures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced death threats from militants over the past two months, AFP reports quoting a senior officer from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).

In KP, at least two candidates have been shot dead since the start of January, including Rehan Zeb Khan, a PTI-backed independent who was shot dead on Wednesday after leaving a gathering in Bajaur.

“The killing of Rehan Zeb Khan is a targeted killing aimed at creating chaos during the elections,” district police officer Kashif Zulfiqar told AFP.

Khan, a PTI dissident who was refused the party ticket, was contesting elections against a rival PTI ticket holder.

He was contesting the election from NA-8, the only National Assembly seat in Bajaur, and PK-22 as an independent candidate and his main rivals were former PTI lawmakers Gul Zafar Khan (on NA-8) and Gul Dad Khan on (PK-22).

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has laid the blame for the country’s current woes at the feet of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

In a podcast with The Pakistan Experience, he said: “If we are standing here today then it is because Mian sahib changed the finance minister in the Pakistan Democratic Movement government at that important time and tried to run the government via remote control.”

Independent candidate Banda Ali Laghari, contesting the upcoming elections from the PS-83 (Dadu IV) constituency, has withdrawn from the poll race in PPP’s favour.

In a social media post, the PPP said Laghari met Faryal Talpur and announced his support for the party.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has called on PTI chief Imran Khan to reflect on his past actions which landed him in his present predicament.

In an interview with BBC Urdu, Bilawal said: “This politics of hate and division that has spread in our society and our old politicians are continuing, should be buried.”

Educational institutions in Islamabad will remain closed from February 6-9 in view of the upcoming general elections.

According to a notification issued by the education ministry, schools will open on Feb 10 (Saturday).

Deputy Inspector General Information Technology Irfan Tariq says the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have developed a mobile application for security in the upcoming general elections.

Talking to a private news channel, he said the app would be used for monitoring on the poll day, Associated Press of Pakistan reports.

Irfan Tariq said that mapping of the entire province has been completed in the mobile app along with various features including emergency alert, go online, notification alert and health facilities.

Apart from this, he said the mobile app also includes the feature of audio and video calls. Police personnel will use body cameras at 137 hotspots in the provincial areas, he added.

In the wake of recent violent incidents that claimed the life of a political worker, Director General Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Maj. Gen. Azhar Waqas chaired a high-level meeting which reviewed the law and order situation in Karachi, particularly security arrangements for the forthcoming general elections.

The participants took a detailed view of steps taken to ensure security during general elections across the province and approved a strategy to this effect, according to the spokesperson.

It was decided that the both paramilitary force and police would further strengthen flag march and snap-checking while security would be ensured at exit and entry points. The ranger’s quick response force would be deployed.

The participants of the meeting also vowed to implement a code of conduct prepared by the provincial government and the Election Commission of Pakistan. It also affirmed that those involved in violations would be taken to task.

Imran Khan face masks have emerged as a popular election accessory for PTI supporters, leading to a surge in demand. However, the mask is reportedly unavailable at several vendors on the online marketplace, Daraz, due to high demand, according to a report by Urdu News.

The report said similar masks are also being sold at Shah Alam Market in Lahore. It said manufacturers are struggling to produce them in bulk due to the time-consuming process, especially with the elections just a week away.

Caretaker Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz has promised the ECP complete cooperation during the February 8 general elections.

He passed these remarks during a high-level moot called by the electoral watchdog to overview the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

According to an ECP statement, Ejaz said the federal and provincial governments were fully prepared for peaceful and successful polls. “All preparations are complete in this regard,” he added.

The police chiefs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have apprised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of measures taken to deal with security threats in the provinces.

During a high-level moot, the chief secretary and inspector general of Balochistan said law enforcement agencies and provincial administration were on alert, according to an ECP statement.

They also shared details of the operations underway in Balochistan against terrorists. They affirmed that no “political or nonpolitical powers” would be allowed to interfere in the electoral process.

Meanwhile, officials of KP informed the ECP about the measures taken and said all facilities had been provided to LEAs in the province.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has said all measures would be taken to ensure the peaceful conduct of elections and urged political parties to continue canvassing without any fear.

According to a statement released by the Election Commission of Pakistan, CEC Raja termed terrorism the “biggest enemy” of the electoral process. But at the same time, he expressed full confidence in law enforcement agencies.

He also urged the LEAs to remain alert for any potential law and order situation during the counting of votes and announcement of results.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has said the electoral watchdog is “fully prepared” for polls on February 8.

According to a statement released after a high-level moot called by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to overview the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, CEC Raja said elements disrupting the law and order situation will be strictly dealt with by law enforcement agencies and Pakistan Army.

“In this regard, no leniency will be shown to anyone,” he was quoted as saying in the statement, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com.

During the meeting, which was attended by intelligence officials and the caretaker interior minister among others, the CEC raised concerns over recent attacks on election offices and rallies in KP and Balochistan.

The CEC clarified that the electoral process will not halt despite these security challenges. “Elections will be held on time and there should be no doubts on that,” the ECP statement said.

All government, semi-government and private educational institutions across Sindh will remain closed from February 6 to 9, the caretaker government has announced.

A day earlier, the Punjab government also declared four-day election holidays in schools, colleges and universities across the province.

Former premier Imran Khan has urged the nation to take the responsibility of sharing details of PTI-backed candidates with their loved ones for the next three days.

“In the next three days, it is your responsibility to tell your family and neighbours about my candidates and their election symbols,” Imran, who is incarcerated at Adiala Jail, said in a message shared on social media by the PTI.

In the message, Imran instructed his followers to check their National and Provincial Assembly constituency numbers by messaging on 8300 and note down the candidate and election symbol.

“Convey this message to all those around you,” he added.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said that if the party is given the chance at power again, it will sit with religious communities at the first possible instance to hold talks and resolve their concerns.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of the promotion of development projects by the caretaker governments and sought a report from the chief secretaries of the four provinces, APP reports.

The caretaker governments were running campaigns in the form of advertisements for development projects, which was likely to affect the conduct of fair and transparent elections, the spokesperson of ECP told APP.

Quoting an example, he said that the ‘Green Bus Service’ campaign in Sindh was being carried out, and clarified that caretaker governments were bound to work within the law.

The ECP issued a letter directing the caretaker governments to stop advertising any development projects until the general elections are conducted peacefully.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said that as per party supremo Nawaz Sharif’s vision, minorities and other religious communities have the “complete right” to live with peace and security in the country.

Addressing leaders from the Christian community, he said: “They have as per the Constitution all those rights that it promises them and Mian Nawaz Sharif has practically, whether he was in power or out, always expressed a relation of great love and respect with other religious communities.”

Higher living costs and political uncertainty have muted Pakistan’s once boisterous election campaigns, with both candidates and those who supply them with materials bemoaning the need to do more with much less, Reuters reports.

“There was a lot of activity in previous elections and our business boomed, but in this election, our business has been reduced to half compared to the last one,” said Jawad Jiwani, who sells party flags in the commercial hub Karachi.

Candidates are hosting fewer outdoor gatherings for supporters and the trucks that usually drive up and down the streets, festooned with campaign posters and blaring music and slogans, are also noticeably quieter.

Syed Arsalan Haider, a Karachi printer, said the cost of a square foot of banner was up by 130 per cent since the last election. Lahore printer Abdul Aziz said the cost of printing stickers had risen by almost 70pc and posters by nearly 90pc.

Read the full story here.

Interim Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz has said general elections will take place in the country on Feb 8 “no matter what happens”.

“Elections are on Feb 8,” he said while speaking to the media after attending a high-level meeting called by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to overview the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

“No one should have any doubt regarding the elections,” Ejaz said, adding that the ECP and the caretaker government would ensure that the elections take place on Feb 8.

Maryam Nawaz has appealed to the people in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to choose their representatives and use their votes “wisely” in the Feb 8 elections.

“You must not treat ballot paper as a piece of paper, instead it is something that is going to decide your future,” she told a rally in Mingora.

PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has said those attempted to sideline Nawaz from the mainstream politics are now paying the price for the misdeeds.

Addressing a rally in Mingora, Maryam said a large number of people are now attending PML-N rallies, which shows the popularity of the PML-N supermo.

Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has called for an end to the “politics of terrorism”, saying that all problems could not be solved “with the force of guns”.

“I appeal to the people of Balochistan that don’t indulge in the politics of torture. Quaid-i-Azam created an entire country but never shot one bullet,” he said.

“Do your politics, but in a peaceful way […] I promise to find a solution to all the problems. The people who believe that missing persons is not an issue, this is their misconception, I promise that I will convince them and we will find a solution to this problem.

“We are living in 2024. The entire world makes fun of us when our sisters raise this issue and we don’t even talk to them,” Bilawal said.

He also expressed displeasure at the way the caretaker government engaged with Baloch protesters, terming it “undemocratic”.

Caretaker Minister for Interior Dr Gohar Ejaz said the caretaker government was determined to hold fair, free and peaceful elections in the country.

“All resources will be provided to the provincial government for holding transparent and peaceful elections,” he said while addressing a consultative meeting to review the overall law and order situation and arrangements by the provincial government for upcoming general elections.

The interior minister expressed his satisfaction with the preparations and the strategy of the provincial government for holding peaceful and successful elections in Balochistan.

Read more here.

Speaking at a rally in Mingora, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif promised to change the fate of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa if voted to power.

“Why did you give him permission to disrupt the entire country when Nawaz was serving you?” he questioned, referring to former premier Imran Khan.

He also questioned the execution of Imran’s promises to the nation, including one billion trees being planted in KP and 300 dams being built.

“I pity how you could all get stuck in a person’s plan who promised jobs and houses,” he said.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said it would rain arrows in Balochistan on February 8, confident of his party’s victory in the forthcoming general elections.

Referring to the latest attacks on PPP candidates and election offices in the province, the former foreign minister said his party was not scared of terrorists. “We are the party of martyrs, we will never surrender before terrorists,” he asserted.

Bilawal promised that if he was elected prime minister, he would speak for the people of Balochistan, particularly women. “I want to tell the Baloch women that if I become the PM, their son and brother will be sitting in the National Assembly.”

Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi has said that general elections would be held on February 8 come what may.

Addressing a seminar in Karachi, Solangi said the interim government was fully prepared to organise the polls.

He added that political parties clamouring for a level-playing field must also ensure democracy within their ranks.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said there were some quarters that were targeting his party in Balochistan.

“They know that if Bilawal is elected, all the problems in Balochistan will vanish. The way I feel for my Baloch brothers and sisters, no one else in the country does,” he said at a rally in Khuzdar.

“They know that I understand the pain of the martyrs in Balochistan […] they know that I understand the problems of the Baloch people […] they know that I will not just solve the problem of terrorists but also that of missing persons,” Bilawal said.

“They know that we don’t indulge in the politics of hatred and division.”

Born in Charsadda in 1962, Sirajul Haq joined the Jamaat-i-Islami’s student programme in eighth grade and rose through the party ranks to become the chief of its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chapter in 2003.

He served as the provincial finance minister after being elected from PK-95 Lower Dir in 2003, but later resigned after a US drone struck a seminary in the Bajaur tribal region in 2006.

He returned to the post in 2013 after securing yet another victory in Lower Dir. A year later, Haq was appointed as the fifth emir of the JI after Jamaat Arakeen (members with voting rights) voted out the sitting emir, Syed Munawwar Hasan, for the first time in the party’s history.

Compared to Hasan, Haq has tried to emulate the populist style of Qazi Hussain Ahmad, the JI chief who kept the party at the centre of the political arena between 1987-2009.

Read more here

Disqualification of prominent leaders and depriving PTI of its electoral symbol means the 2024 general elections are not as exciting as its predecessors have been.

The campaigning has picked up some pace of late, but even then it is clear that in terms of excitement, the Feb 8 polls will be a shadow of its former self.

That said, in isolation, there are still some constituencies where big-name candidates are expected to stage neck-and-neck battles.

Dawn.com has sifted through the 272 NA constituencies and compiled a list of eight seats where major high-profile candidates are anticipated to give each other tough competition.

Read more here

Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari has promised to fight for the rights of women, the elderly and the destitute.

At a rally in Sanghar, she urged people to vote for PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the upcoming general elections. Aseefa vowed that if elected, Bilawal would improve the living standard of the people.

“He will speak for you. He will work for you. He will fight for you,” she promised.

She said the PPP would end poverty in the country, build three million houses and provide 300 free units of electricity.

“The vote is your strength and when you use that strength correctly we will make Pakistan stronger. Together, nothing can stop us,” Aseefa added.

A high-level meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to deliberate on the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan is currently under way.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja is presiding over the hearing, which will also be attended by the representatives of intelligence agencies.

Punjab Cabinet has approved funds to purchase 32,000 cameras for election monitoring as per the directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Radio Pakistan reports.

The approval was given during the cabinet meeting held in Lahore today under the chairmanship of interim Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Over 5,100 Police personnel will be deputed in the Sukkur district to provide foolproof security to polling stations in sensitive areas and to help and guide the voters, APP reports.

SSP Sukkur, Zubair Nazeer Shaikh said that the Sukkur police will also provide help and guidance to women, old citizens and handicapped individuals during the polling.

He said the police personnel will be present at their fixed positions to perform election duty before time in the district to perform their duties with national enthusiasm.

SSP Sukkur visited a spot where an election control room is being set up and was briefed about officers regarding the security of elections in the district.

PTI lawyer Hamid Khan has said that former prime minister Imran Khan’s message to the people is to vote for independent candidates affiliated with the party while also ensuring their vote is counted properly.

Speaking to the media outside Adiala jail, he deplored efforts under way to disappear polling agents.

“Leave your house to vote on Feb 8,” he quoted Imran as saying.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established a desk at the office of the provincial election commissioner (PEC) in Karachi for general elections which will continue to function until February 10, state-run APP reports.

According to a spokesperson of the PEC, the desk has been established to address grievances of women, senior citizens, transgenders and minorities.

It’s the age of super-fast and super-efficient everything worldwide — even if it’s actually the age of cratered roads, gas loadshedding and internet outages in Pakistan.

Sidestepping the tempting digression(s), the point is that in this day and age, one should really not have to wait till February 8 to know what is going to happen on the day of general elections.

Based on the previous 11 editions, we have put together a comprehensive list of all that is likely to transpire when the country goes to vote for the dozenth time.

Read the full story here.

Additional Inspector General Khadim Hussain Rind has issued orders to put security on high alert across Karachi in view of the recent incidents of terrorism reported in Balochistan.

He directed that the security arrangements outside mosques, madrassahs and other sensitive locations should be tightened.

Earlier in the day, a person was killed in a blast at Quetta’s CPEC road. According to the police, around eight to 10 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast.

The incident is the most recent in a string of terror attacks witnessed in recent days, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, as the country heads to general elections. The Election Commission of Pakistan has called a high-level meeting today to discuss the law and order situation in the provinces.

The PTI has issued ‘Form 1’ for its party workers to submit for its intra-party polls.

The form is available on their website.

Former premier Shehbaz Sharif has condemned a “grenade attack” near the party’s election office in Dera Allah Yar, adding that the interim government should ensure peace and order.

“Terrorists want to prevent people from exercising their right to vote. We will not be intimidated and, God willing, will bring peace back to Pakistan,” he said.

“I also salute the spirit and courage of the political workers,” Shehbaz said, praying for the recovery of the injured.

Interim Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz has said the government is committed to ensuring that the general elections are held freely, fairly and peacefully.

According to Radio Pakistan, he made the statements while chairing a review meeting in Quetta today to assess the overall security situation ahead of the upcoming elections.

The interior minister said that close collaboration with all stakeholders is being undertaken to ensure that the security environment is conducive to a smooth electoral process.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar is currently presiding over a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reports.

The meeting comes amid heightened security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan ahead of the general elections on February 8.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has said it will complete the printing of ballot papers for the upcoming February 8 polls on Friday, Radio Pakistan reports.

The report quoted an ECP spokesman as saying that the electoral body had started printing ballot papers from January 16.

He said the preparations for holding the general polls are rapidly progressing towards completion and the printing of ballot papers is progressing satisfactorily, Radio Pakistan said.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of the blasts that took place in Quetta, Turbat and Jafarabad today.

It has also sought an immediate report from the chief secretary and the Balochistan police chief.

The Special Court that sentenced former premier Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to 10 years in jail in the cipher case has said that both politicians “applied very malignant practice just to protract these proceedings”.

In its detailed judgment, Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain stated that the court “provided all legal measures” to guarantee both leaders their legal right of defence for cross-examination but by “the act of both accused not to cross-examine the PWs (prosecution witnesses), they took absolutely light [of it]”.

“In my humbly [sic] view, these two accused Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi and Shah Mehmood Qureshi does [sic] not deserve any leniency due to their deliberate and advertent act in order to avoid cross-examination on the PWs,” the judge wrote.

The “revelation and manipulation of secret, sensitive and classified information” to “achieve their personal and political interests, at the altar of national stability and national security, patently constitute grave violations of the laws of Pakistan,” he said.

The odds that Nawaz Sharif will be forming the next government after the Feb 8 elections are rising, although it cannot be known with any certainty at this stage. Even if he is not the prime minister himself, chances are whoever assumes the position will do so with his blessings.

The tide is turning, in slow motion. Nawaz Sharif has returned and will now cement his position in power. The big question is whether he will find the resources to deliver even half of what he is promising.

Read the full story here.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced a public holiday on February 8, when general elections will be held in the country, to “enable the voters to exercise their right of franchise freely and conveniently.”

“In exercise of powers conferred under Article 218 of the Constitution […] Election Commission of Pakistan is pleased to declare [a] public holiday on February 8 in the country,” the notification said.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to dispatch the ballot papers for general elections in some areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by air to ensure prompt delivery, state-run APP reports.

“The ballot papers will be airlifted to Gwadar, Panjgur, Kach, Kharan, Bajaur and Kurram Agency,” the ECP spokesman told the publication.

The spokesman said the ballot papers of National and Provincial Assemblies of the said areas would be sent by helicopter and C-130.

Read more here.

The Special Court that sentenced former premier Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to 10 years in jail in the cipher case has called the PTI’s stance of a foreign conspiracy to topple its government a “deliberate and well-planned manipulative lie”.

In a detailed judgment issued, Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain wrote that Imran’s March 2022 speech “resulted in having grave adverse consequences for the safety, integrity and credibility of Pakistan’s cipher system and had a chilling effect on its relations with foreign governments”.

“There is no doubt that the accused persons, with ulterior motives, undermined the cipher system of Pakistan, which, in turn, benefits unfriendly foreign powers, directly and/or indirectly,” it said.

“It is amply clear that this was a deliberate and well-planned manipulative lie aimed at rousing populist sentiment in the masses with no regard of its consequences for Pakistan’s external relations as well as national security interests,” it added.

The PTI has appointed members of the party’s Federal Election Commission as it prepares to hold its intra-party polls.

In a post on X, the PTI shared a notification, which listed Senator Waleed Iqbal, Advocate Qazi Muhammad Anwar, Muhammad Dawood Khan, Shah Nasir and Justice (rtd) Noorul Haq Qureshi as its members.

While electioneering is in full swing for the Feb 8 elections, the business related to publicity material for the candidates has yet to pick up momentum due to confusion, a fast-changing political situation, price hikes and other reasons.

In Lahore’s Royal Park and Urdu Bazaar, markets known as hubs of printing, publicity, paper, and stationery, the business pace is not as it was during the 2018 or 2013 general elections.

“This election has surprisingly appeared to be unique in terms of having a very small number of customers for publicity material (flexes, handbills, posters, flags, badges, stickers, banners, etc),” said Kashif, a printer, speaking to Dawn.

Read more here.

As the general elections are approaching fast, political and social experts are predicting intense contests in Lodhran district, where Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) chief is also contesting for a National Assembly seat — NA-155.

The district, with a population of 1.9 million, is divided into three tehsils: Kahror Pakka, Dunyapur, and Lodhran. It has two National Assembly seats (NA-154 and NA-155) and four provincial assembly seats (PP-225, 226, 227, and PP-228).

For NA-155, IPP’s Jahangir Khan Tareen is contesting against PML-N’s Siddique Khan Baloch, PTI-backed Advocate Iffat Tahira, and PPP’s Rana Azhar Uthera. This constituency includes the Lodhran district headquarters and rural areas.

Read more here.

At least five former federal ministers are vying for different NA constituencies of Gujranwala from the platforms of the PML-N, the PPP and the IPP (Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party).

However, the main contest is expected between the nominees of the PML-N and the PTI on all the five NA and 12 Punjab Assembly (PA) seats of the district.

Though Imran Khan’s PTI could so far not gain any breakthrough in the electoral battles in Gujranwala, the party has emerged as the main contender against the PML-N over the last decade.

The former federal ministers, Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan, Mehmood Basheer Virk and Usman Ibrahim of the PML-N, Imtiaz Safdar Warraich of the PPP and Rana Nazeer Ahmed Khan of the IPP, are in the race from different seats in the district.

Read more here.

The PTI will hold intra-party polls on February 5, three days before the general elections. According to a notification issued by the PTI election commission office, the polls will be held to elect the chairman of the PTI central and provincial organisations.

“Duly registered members can cast their votes in favour of their desired panels or chairman candidates at different venues across Pakistan, or remotely, through [the] secure Raabta app IPE Module,” the notification said.

“All members registered till January 31 will be allowed to vote. Contesting panels will be advertised on Insaf.pk and Raabta app,” it added.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will address a jalsa in Khuzdar, Balochistan today, according to the party.

Meanwhile, his sister Aseefa will lead an election campaign rally in Sanghar.

The Lahore High Court has dismissed a petition by jailed PTI President Parvez Elahi and upheld a decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of allotting him ‘donkey cart’ as an electoral symbol.

Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan announced the verdict that was reserved the other day on the petition of the former chief minister.

Elahi’s counsel had pleaded that the ECP allotted ‘donkey cart’ symbol to the petitioner, whereas he had requested for ‘peacock’.

Read more here.

MALIR is one of the seven districts in the Karachi division that has always been considered as a stronghold of the PPP. In fact, the district was carved out of Karachi’s East and West districts in 1996 by the then government of the PPP.

The rural areas of the two districts, where the majority of residents are Sindhis and Baloch, were amalgamated to create the Malir district in what PPP’s detractors believed to be an attempt to break the electoral dominance of the then Mohajir Qaumi Movement, now known as Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

However, divisions were abolished during Musharraf’s era and Karachi was declared one district and the 2002 and 2008 general elections were held on that basis. The PPP government had restored Malir and other city districts in 2011.

It may be noted that Malir Town, one of the 25 towns in Karachi, is not part of district Malir as it falls in the territorial jurisdiction of district Korangi.

Read more here.

Despite facing ‘threats and resistance’ from the provincial administration and recent killings of its workers, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has ruled out the possibility of boycotting the Feb 8 elections and warned that any attempt to ‘snatch’ the mandate of Karachi through “vandalism and power” would attract a serious reaction.

The top leadership of the party was furious over the recent “attack” on its workers but was clear that the boycott of the electoral process was not an option that it had chosen for the local government polls last year.

“How could we go into the flawed [local government] polls when some 100 union committees were removed from the Karachi electoral mandate,” MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui replied to a question about the option of boycotting the Feb 8 polls.

Read more here.

A crackdown on PTI leaders and activists intensified as police picked up over three dozen more workers of the beleaguered party for their alleged involvement in violence during a rally at Teen Talwar over the weekend.

“Thirty-nine more persons have been apprehended on charges of rioting, attacking policeman and ransacking official vehicles,” said a police spokesperson.

According to the spokesperson, the number of activists held during three days stands at 72. They were being identified with the help of digital evidence against them, the spokesperson added.

With just one week left in the day of polling, the law enforcement agency has been carrying out raids across the city to arrest PTI workers.

Read more here.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan said that the party will not tolerate any delay in holding general elections “by using security issues as an excuse”.

“Nations hold elections during wars. England held elections during World War 2,” he said.

PTI leader Taimur Khan Jhagra has said that the delay in holding polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, after the dissolution of the provincial assemblies, was “all about doing polls across the country on a single day”.

“Now, will ballot paper printing become the latest excuse to selectively stop elections? How tainted do we want these elections to be?” he asked.

“Only one answer to all this. Come out and vote on February 8,” he urged the nation.

Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan has said the party will make Pakistan a true Islamic welfare state after coming to power.

He stated this while addressing a public gathering organised by JI Battagram chapter. JI Battagram emir Nisar Ahmed Khan and NA-13 candidate Saeed Ahmed Malkal also spoke.

Mr Mushtaq declared the JI was the only party, which could steer Pakistan out of the multiple crises. He emphasised Pakistan came into being to be an Islamic welfare state, but the dream could not come true.

He argued that the country’s leadership was enslaved to IMF and World Bank. “Our leadership has no liberty to even fix prices of commodities. The rulers have committed a corruption of Rs63,000 billion in the past 76 years and laundered the money to foreign banks.”

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EARLY on Wednesday morning, the Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib is a picture of tranquillity. Sunlight washes the vast courtyard and arcades, and the smog slowly lifts to reveal the white marble floor.

It was here just a week earlier that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif told a large gathering that he would overhaul the political system that ‘handcuffed, jailed and exiled’ the former prime minister.

So, did his message hit home?

From the dozens of people Dawn spoke to in the district, it is clear that the political battle is very much on.

Read more here.

TWO verdicts in two days. A 14-year sentence for ‘corruption’ to accompany a 10-year sentence for ‘divulging state secrets’. First, his top lieutenant, and now his spouse also convicted and jailed.

And still, former prime minister Imran Khan’s troubles are far from over. What new depths will the state plumb as it makes clear its antipathy towards him?

The days leading up to the Feb 8 elections may hold more ‘surprises’. For now, we may only sit and spectate as facts, procedures, laws and institutions bend to the will of those who think that no elected leader deserves a free pass — until they decide they do.

A word, too, on NAB, an institution that seems to exist only to cycle through political targets based on the whims of the powers that be.

Read the full editorial here.

Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) held an election rally from Faizabad to Liaquat Bagh which was addressed by its emir, Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi.

“I do not make false promises; my affection and attachment to the cause of TLP was not marketable,” Hafiz Rizvi said, adding that, “people of Rawalpindi should trust me, I will not let my voters down”.

“Where did the slogan of honouring the vote go? Where did the slogan of prosperity and development go,” Hafiz Rizvi said, while posing his questions to the PML-N.

The PML-N had taken the same path that was adopted by the PTI in 2018, he added.

He said the slogan of TLP was ‘Labbaik’ (the Arabic term meaning we are present) and added that this slogan was echoing in the streets of the country and would be raised in the parliament too.

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PML-N President Sheh­baz Sharif has taken a U-turn on his earlier claim that he had been a “darling of the military establishment” for the last 30 years.

“Had I been close to the establishment, I wouldn’t have gone to jail and been kept in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) dungeon [in the past],” Mr Shehbaz said in response to a question during a talk with digital media representatives on Wednesday.

In his earlier media interactions, Mr Shehbaz had said, “Main tees saal say establishment ki aankh ka taara hoon (I am an apple of the eye of the establishment for the last 30 years).

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The unprecedented surge in the number of voters has made Pakistan the fifth largest democracy in the world trailing India, Indonesia, United States of America and Brazil.

This is also the first time that Pakistan registered more women voters as compared to men in-between two elections.

This was disclosed by a Fafen Report, titled “Electoral Rolls, General Election 2024”.

The report says that with the fifth-highest number of registered voters globally, Pakistan has a record 128.5 million people, constituting over half of its total population, registered as voters on the Final Electoral Rolls (FER) for the upcoming Feb 8 elections, marking a substantial increase of 22.5 million voters, including 12.5 million women, added since 2018.

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After the special court set up under the Official Secrets Act sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to 10 years imprisonment for the breach of state secrets, the status of the two political leaders has been changed from under-trial “accused” to prisoners.

According to a senior official, the two PTI leaders will be treated as “prisoners” after being convicted and sentenced; however, they will be allowed to use civil dresses in the jail.

He said according to rules, the name of every convicted prisoner is entered serially in the admission register. The serial number of this register pertaining to him will be his admission number and will be used along with his name and classification in all future references in official correspondence about him.

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Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan warned the government it would constitute a larger bench for hearing the case of the ‘enforced disappearance’ of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s general secretary in Kohat district if his whereabouts were not traced until today.

Additional attorney general Sanaullah Khan told the single-member bench that he had contacted the relevant intelligence agencies but was told that PTI leader Salman Shinwari was not in their custody.

The bench directed him to submit a reply by today.

It declared that it would resume hearing into the matter today (Thursday) at 2pm and by that time, the detainee should either be freed or the court should be informed about whose custody he was in.

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Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday disapproved of “celebrations” over the jail sentence of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.

“As a former prime minister [Imran] is not allowed to contest elections, a party is celebrating this development. In 2018, another party had similar celebrations. We are not those who celebrate the plight of political opponents. We are the jiyalas [followers] of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, who did not teach us such negative politics,” Mr Bilawal told an election rally in Batkhela here.

The PPP leader said if people voted his party to power, it would do away with the politics of “hate and division.”

He said the PPP never got a level playing field ahead of and during elections.

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A POPULAR axiom is that the road to the chief minister’s house passes through central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which comprises Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera and Charsadda.

The region is a political juggernaut, as 33 of the total 115 seats in the KP Assembly lie in the region. The Peshawar valley and its surrounding districts are also considered a barometer to gauge the direction of political winds in the province, since it has a 28pc share in KP assembly seats.

In terms of other demographic metrics, central KP is the most populous, industrialised and prosperous region of the province, with one-fourth — 13 million — of the province’s 40.85m residents living here, according to the 2023 census.

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The returning officer for PK-91, Kohat, has postponed the elections on the seat after the sudden death of Awami National Party candidate Asmatullah Khattak on Tuesday.

In a statement issued here, RO Mr Irfan said after the death certificate of the candidate was produced to him, he, using powers conferred on him under the Election Act, 2017, postponed the polls on the seat with immediate effect.

He said the new election schedule would be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

According to the ANP district president, Mr Khattak passed away due to heart attack, leaving behind a void in the political landscape of the region.

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A Peshawar High Court bench stopped the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government from placing the names of former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and five other former lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Wiqar Ahmad also asked the government to respond to the petitions of Mr Qaiser, former MNA Junaid Akber and former MPAs Iftikhar Mishwani, Zahir Shah Toru, Shakeel Khan and Liaqat Ali against the Fourth Schedule move by Feb 20.

The petitioners have challenged the home department’s “ongoing process” to place their names in the Fourth Schedule on the recommendations of the administrations of Mardan, Swabi and Malakand districts.

Additional advocate general Danyal Asad Chamkani appeared for the government and said he would submit a report on the matter on behalf of the government.

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Tribal affiliations and personal influence of candidates have taken precedence over their political associations or ideological bonds in election campaigns here.

They are seen in videos soliciting votes from people on the basis of their tribe and sub-tribes and demeaning opponents for being part of rival tribes.

With the general election in one National Assembly constituency NA-27 and three provincial assembly constituencies PK-69, PK-70 and PK-71 just a week away, some candidates are reminding tribesmen of how much attention they as lawmakers paid to the development of their areas by neglecting other localities or tribes.

They’re little interested in promoting the political parties that fielded them and are helping them canvass “to an extent.”

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Swat’s PK-7 constituency is bracing itself for a tough contest on Feb 8 with 13 candidates in the electoral arena.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim-League-Nawaz and Awami National Party have significant support in the area.

Political observers say Amjad Ali, a former provincial minister for housing and a prominent figure in the PTI’s ranks, is the front-runner.

Having clinched victory in the last two elections, he is a formidable candidate.

He is contesting the election as an independent backed by the PTI.

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The US State Department has emphasised that violence at election rallies undermines the electoral process in Pakistan.

Strongly condemning Tuesday’s bomb explosion at a PTI rally in Sibi that killed 10 people, the State Department said that incidents like this “undermine the electoral process”.

The department asserted: “The Pakistani people have the right to choose their leader without fear for the country’s stability and prosperity.”

Another State Department spokesperson, while responding to Dawn’s query, said that questions about judicial decisions should be addressed to Pakistani courts. But the US official assured the Pakistani people that Washington would continue to support the democratic process in Pakistan.

Read more here.

The Election Commi­ssion of Pakistan (ECP) has convened a high-level meeting today to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balo­chistan in the lead-up to the Feb 8 elections, sparking fears that polls in the two provinces might be put off.

Separately, the military leadership has declared a zero-tolerance policy against political violence and vowed that no one would be allowed to sabotage elections.

Meanwhile, elections in NA-8 and PK-22 constituencies of Bajaur district were postponed after the killing of independent candidate Rehan Zeb Khan and injuries to three workers when unknown assailants opened fire on them on Wednesday.

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Just before a PTI’s general body meeting on Wednesday, police and security officials in plainclothes allegedly raided and took control of PTI’s central secretariat in Islamabad’s Sector G-8, stopped members from entering the premises, warning them that they would have to face consequences, party sources said.

The PTI general body, however, managed to hold a virtual meeting in which it decided to hold intra-party elections within a fortnight.

An official of the capital police denied the allegation, pointing out that a raid could not be conducted without having its permission from a magistrate and no such order was issued on Wednesday.

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Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao stressed the need for holding free, fair and peaceful elections to address the challenges faced by the country.

Addressing a gathering in Dhakki union council in Charsadda, he said that the country was facing a host of problems including rising inflation, poverty, poor law and order and unemployment.

Mr Sherpao said any political party coming to power after the general elections would have to make concerted efforts to revive economy and put the country on the path to development.

He said that political instability coupled with skyrocketing inflation halted progress of country. “We cannot afford to be distracted from the challenges at hand,” he said, urging political forces to join hands to steer the country out of the prevalent problems and ensure political and economic stability.

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The military’s top brass has asserted that no one would be allowed to “indulge in violence in the name of political activity” and “sabotage” the exercise of free and fair elections.

According to a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations, the affirmation came during the 262nd Corps Commanders’ Conference held at the General Headquarters today. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir presided over the meeting.

During the high-level moot, the forum discussed the deployment of the Pakistan Army troops to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the peaceful conduct of the upcoming general elections.

“Pakistan Army will perform assigned duties as per the Constitutional mandate, under the guidelines of ECP. No one would be allowed to indulge in violence in the name of political activity and sabotage the quintessential democratic exercise of conduct of free and fair elections,” the ISPR said.

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Just eight days before the country goes to polls, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has called a meeting tomorrow (February 1) to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

In a notification issued today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the electoral watchdog said the meeting would be attended by the interior minister, interior secretary, chief secretaries of Balochistan and KP, provincial police chiefs and officials of intelligence agencies.

The meeting would be held at 3pm tomorrow, it added.

Read more here.