Live: Elections 2024

Meher Bano Qureshi, daughter of PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, has urged supporters to speak up for her father and party founder Imran Khan, who she said have “given the ultimate sacrifice”.

Both Qureshi and Imran have been sentenced to 10 years in jail in the cipher case. Earlier this week, the former prime minister was also handed another 14-year sentence in the Toshakhana reference.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that we succeed in our mission to establish the rule of law and system of true justice in Pakistan,” Meher Bano said in a post on X.

She sought support for PTI-backed candidates across Pakistan, requesting the people of the NA-151 (Multan IV) constituency to “stand by their kaptaan and naib kaptaan by voting for the chimta on the 8th of February.”

“Inshallah [God willing] we will be victorious in this fight against injustice and cruelty,” she added.

With the Feb 8 general elections fast approaching, major political parties have scrambled to woo electables across Pakistan, trying to out-manoeuvre each other in a bid to boost their prospects post-Feb 8.

Over the past few months, the PML-N and PPP appear to have made decent inroads in Balochistan and south Punjab, which are ground zero for all electable contests ahead of a major election.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, whose PML-N now carries the tag of ‘king’s party’, visited Balochistan in November and managed to add over two dozen electables to his arsenal. The party also managed to secure a foothold in South Punjab by relying on electables.

Following in the footsteps of the Sharifs, the father-son duo Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also kicked off the PPP’s election campaign in Balochistan in a bid to make inroads in the province to some degree of success. The PPP also upped its presence in Punjab, intending to lure electables to improve its position in a province otherwise dominated by PTI and PML-N supporters.

Read full story here.

In an interview, former minister of climate change and PTI leader Zartaj Gul said that she wants to challenge her opponents to present their manifestos and their projects publicly.

She added that her party’s mandate is to provide equal opportunities to the people in Dera Khan Ghazi. She said her opponents have failed the people of Dera Ghazi Khan in the past.

Former federal minister and PTI leader Shehryar Afridi was incensed when he was issued the bottle symbol, AFP reports.

“Most of the PTI candidates, including myself, were given symbols that were meant to create a negative bias,” said the 45-year-old candidate for Kohat.

“We were deliberately given symbols that could be used to ridicule us.” Afridi took his case to the Peshawar High Court but won no relief.

“When we entered the field during the election campaign, we received so much backlash regarding the bottle symbol that it sabotaged our campaign automatically,” he said.

But the canny operator has tweaked his symbol. “A bottle doesn’t only represent alcohol, it also represents medicine,” he said. “That’s why we’ve transformed our electoral symbol into a medicine bottle — so that we can address all societal ailments.”

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of the violations of the code of conduct during the ongoing election campaign and imposed penalties on several candidates, APP reports.

“The district monitoring officer in Kohat took action against violation of the election code of conduct and punished various candidates,” the spokesman of ECP told APP.

The spokesperson said an independent candidate Noor Aslam Afridi, contesting from National Assembly constituency NA-35, was fined Rs 5,000 while another independent candidate Fawadullah Khan Afridi from the same constituency was fined Rs 10,000.

He said that Awami National Party (ANP) candidate for provincial assembly Yaqoob Khan fined Rs 5,000. Additionally, independent candidate Janidullah Afridi from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was also fined Rs 10,000.

The spokesman said that the monitoring teams in different districts have removed illegal campaign hoardings, banners and other election promotion material.

Incarcerated premier Imran Khan has said the purpose of the “hasty manner” in which the cases against him are being concluded is to demoralise the voters.

“You must not be disheartened, as Allah is the ultimate planner,” Imran, who is incarcerated at Adiala Jail, said on social media platform X.

“Our most powerful and meaningful weapon is that of our vote, and we must wield it to overthrow crooks who have been imposed upon us,” Imran said.

Former prime minister and PML-N leader, Shehbaz Sharif, in an interview with Javed Chaudhry, said a simple majority elected government is needed for economic and political stability.

He added that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif would leave no stone unturned to make Pakistan a welfare state if elected premier for the fourth time.

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met an independent candidate affiliated with the PTI, Barrister Taimur Malik in Multan, who is also contesting the upcoming elections from the NA-248 constituency.

The video shared by Gilani’s daughter in a post on X showed the two politicians hugging as they bumped into each other during their election campaign in a market in Multan.

In the footage, Barrister Malik can be heard saying: “May God make Imran Khan successful.”

“This is the kind of politics we need in Pakistan,” Gilani’s daughter said. “Say no to politics of hate,” she added.

Ejaz Gaddan romantically describes his constituency in the eastern Punjab province as his ancestral homeland — his people’s “final resting place”. Perhaps fittingly, he was assigned a symbol of a bed, AFP reports.

“They tried to humiliate us with the symbols they are giving us. Some candidates feel embarrassed telling people what symbol they have gotten,” the 50-year-old Bahawalpur candidate complained.

“This is not an election, this is cruelty.”

Referring to his symbol ‘charpoy’, he said, “It is a very useful household item. When we are alive, the charpoy allows us to rest. When we die, it takes us on our final journey,” said Gaddan.

“My symbol is already available in every household. I don’t have to introduce it to my constituents.” Referring to the PML-N’s electoral symbol, he said, “The lion is a bloodthirsty beast. There is no place in our society for a beast.”

Aamir Mughal brandishes an eggplant before a gaggle of voters, rallying support behind the Pakistani staple during an election campaign he says is being undermined by bizarre symbols assigned to candidates, AFP reports.

After the PTI was stripped of its electoral symbol of ‘bat’, its candidates are contesting the February 8 polls as independents with different symbols, scrabbling to make an impression on the campaign trail.

“The eggplant is now a famous symbol across all Pakistan,” declares the candidate for Islamabad, a follower of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan. “Now this has become the king of the vegetables.”

A spokesman for the Election Commission of Pakistan said the symbols are chosen from a list designed for independents and “are purely the prerogative of the returning officers”.

Four persons have been injured in a grenade blast at the election office of a local political party — Mazloom Olsi Tehreek Pakistan — in Quetta, police said.

Quetta SSP Operations Jawad Tariq told Dawn.com that unknown motorcyclists lobbed a hand grenade at the party’s election office in Mulla Khel Abad area near the Southern Bypass and then fled.

“The grenade exploded outside the election office, injuring four pedestrians,” he said. “The office was closed at the time of the attack due to which people present outside the premises sustained injuries,” he said.

SSP Tariq added that police and the bomb disposal squad personnel had collected evidence from the incident and also cordoned off the area. He said a search was underway to nab the culprits.

Meanwhile, Edhi in-charge Zeeshan Idrees said all the injured persons were shifted to Civil Hospital with the help of locals.

He added that three of the injured were discharged after being provided medical treatment. Idrees added that the one remaining person, identified as Abdul Qadir, was taken to the Trauma Centre for further treatment.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that during the previous PML-N-led coalition government, ex-premier Shehbaz Sharif’s role was “sabotaged” and his authority was undermined.

In a podcast interview with Talha Ahad, he said: “I sometimes feel sorry for the man — Shehbaz Sharif sahib was sabotaged from within his own party.”

Referring to the super floods of monsoon 2022, the PPP chairman said the country had a “golden opportunity” to manage its economy and realign its development outline.

However, he went on to say, “The finance minister was changed, and then I saw how, unfortunately, the prime minister’s authority did not work in the same way after that in the finance ministry and a unique approach was taken for which I can give no justification.”

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that he challenged PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for a public debate as he is the candidate for the premiership.

Asked in a podcast interview with Talha Ahad why he did not challenge Nawaz’s daughter Maryam, Bilawal said he simply challenged someone who was his equivalent; Bilawal is the PPP’s candidate for the role of the prime minister while Nawaz is the PML-N’s.

“I have a lot of respect for Mian sahib and everybody but we have no personal issues,” the PPP chairman said.

Sindh has remained under various dynasties ranging from Rai, Brahmin, Arabs, Soomra, and Sama to Arghuns and Tarkhans and from Mughals, Kalhoros to Talpurs etc in the past. Later, the British invaded Sindh, dethroning the Talpurs by ending their 60-year rule and shifting the capital from Hyderabad to Karachi.

The province is home to several political dynasties and the electoral history of every second district indicates that these families, be they the Shirazis, Syeds, Arbabs, Mahars or Makhdooms et al, have all been ruling the roost under civilian and military regimes to maintain a stranglehold on the system.

In a nutshell, it is perhaps inevitable for major political parties to woo them through their tickets to consolidate their positions in order to reach the corridors of power. These politically well-entrenched ‘electables’ opt for the best bargain to stay relevant in the ongoing game of thrones.

Read more here.

Korangi is a relatively new district of Karachi division as it was created in 2013, after the May 2013 general elections, by the then government of the PPP. The district was carved out of Karachi’s East district.

Before the 2018 elections, the areas falling within the jurisdiction of district Korangi were always known as the stronghold of the once-unified MQM since it had won all NA seats during previous general elections, sans the one held in 2002 when it lost one NA and one PA seat to the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H).

After the merger of PSP and MQM-P last year, it is widely believed that the MQM-P may stage a comeback in the Feb 8 general elections in Korangi as its main rival, the embattled PTI, is currently on a weak footing after it lost its electoral symbol ‘bat’ and currently facing difficulties in running an effective election campaign.

Read more here.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan-Noorani (JUP-N) president Sahibzada Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair has said he agreed on seat adjustment with the PPP for the Feb 8 elections in Sindh — particularly in Hyderabad — and Punjab after he failed to cobble together an alliance of like-minded religious parties.

He was speaking at a press conference along with PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon at the farmhouse of Waseem Rajput, a PPP candidate for NA-220, to formally announce the retirement of the JUP-N candidates, including himself, in favour of the PPP’s aspirants. Waseem Rajput, Ajiz Dhamra and Fareed Qureshi were present on the occasion.

Zubair said he, his candidates — including Rehman Rajput, Nazim Arain, Syed Mohammad Hassan and Mahmood Ahmed Qadri and others — would retire in favour of PPP’s candidates on NA-219 (Latifabad) and NA-220 (City) and their allies on provincial seats. He said he had tried to form an alliance of religious parties as a leader of Milli Yakjehati Council (MYC), but he did not get a positive response.

Read more here.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said, while referring to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, that even “giving an impression” of the result of the upcoming polls being pre-decided is “an insult to the people” of the country.

In a podcast interview with Talha Ahad, he said: “Even if that’s not true, just giving that impression is an insult to the people. […] Sure you have been the prime minister three times [but] tell us what you want to do.”

He criticised the former premier for “not campaigning” enough, saying it that affected the legitimacy of the upcoming general elections.

In view of escalating security threats ahead of the February 8 general elections, top officials of the provincial security and administrative apparatus assembled together on Thursday and reviewed the law and order situation in Sindh.

The inspector general of Sindh police, provincial election commissioner, additional IGP Karachi, special secretary of the home department, secretary of services and general administration, commissioner of Karachi and senior police, Rangers and intelligence agencies officials attended the meeting.

The meeting chaired by Director General of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, Maj Gen Azhar Waqas was held at a time when several incidents of violence occurred in the province, including the death of a political worker in a clash in Karachi, which heightened fears regarding the upcoming polls.

The participants also took a detailed view of steps taken to ensure security during the polls and approved a strategy to this effect.

Read more here.

JI leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has decried the condition of public hospitals in Sindh.

Addressing a ceremony in Karachi, the party’s Karachi emir said the entire province relied on two hospitals — Jinnah and Civil — in Karachi.

“The condition of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital is very bad,” he said. “Many departments do not operate. The gynecology department has been closed for three months,” he said.

Half of the country’s youth believes that Feb 8 general elections will be transparent, however, they also think that the upcoming polls will not affect their daily lives.

These were the findings of a Voice of America (VOA) survey conducted by research company IPSOS.

In the survey titled ‘Political Participation and Landscape of Pakistani Youth’, 2,000 participants from 18 to 34 years of age, hailing from Islamabad and the four provinces, were interviewed.

The youth said that inflation was a major issue and they would cast the vote based on this issue. The majority of them were also in favour of sending the Afghan refugees back to their country.

Read more here.

PTI’s Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra has said his election campaign posters in Hayatabad’s PK-79 were torn by his political rivals.

He then said that his opponents were putting up posters with derogatory remarks and allegations of corruption, claiming he was not involved in any such activity.

For Rehan Shamsi, 61, hope is a double-edged sword. A seasoned participant in Pakistan’s tumultuous political history, Rehan was but a 25-year-old engineering student in Karachi when the death knell sounded on General Ziaul Haq’s decade-long stint at the country’s helm.

Amid cheers of hope and merriment, Benazir Bhutto assumed the reins of power in the winter of 1988 — an event considered to be a critical inflection point in the country’s long, agonising crusade to democracy. It seemed the sun had finally dawned on a people downtrodden by decades of shattered promises and dead aspirations.

“I don’t think today’s generation understands the optimism that permeated the air in ’88. It was a genuine moment of hope. I know it sounds idealistic now, but you have to understand where we were,” reminisced Rehan. An active member of the National Students Federation and a worker of the Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi Party in the 80s, he vehemently believed in and campaigned for Benazir’s Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD).

Read more here.

Police raided night the residence of former federal minister and PTI candidate for NA-109 Sheikh Waqas Akram in Jhang to arrest him in connection with a case related to his alleged involvement in the May 9 riots. However, he was not found at home.

The police also raided the house of former Jhang city PPP President Mehr Qaiser Abbas but he was also not present.

Condemning the police action, Abbas, who recently joined the PTI, questioned the reason behind the raid, stating that his only “sin” is supporting PTI candidates.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Ali Raza Tippu in Jhang was arrested, though the details of the case remain unclear.

Read full story here

Inspiring the PTI to victory in the 2024 general elections against heavy odds from inside a jail cell will be a whole new ball game for the party’s beleaguered founder.

Imran Khan now has a ‘hat trick’ of convictions on his record — two cases related to Toshakhana purchases and the much-touted cipher case.

Moreover, his party’s men and women have been deprived of their iconic ‘bat’ symbol, faced the rejection of nomination papers and kept away from political discourse. They continue to face the wrath of the powers that be for the May 9 mayhem, and are confronted with the problem of many stalwarts changing loyalties.

Now, the only hope for the legendary cricket star-turned-prime minister lies in people defying the odds and coming out to vote for his party’s candidates — albeit as independents — on Feb 8.

Read more here.

This time, four females from Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu, and Layyah districts are contesting elections from different parties.

The noteworthy shift is that they are actively engaging with the public and addressing them daily to seek their votes. Earlier, only the family elders would run campaign for them.

The Muzaffargarh district holds the distinction of having elected female representatives in 1990, 2002 and 2008 elections. In 1990, Sumaria Rabbani Khar was elected an MPA in a by-election. In 2002, Hina Rabbani Khar and Khalida Mohsin reached the National Assembly after defeating their rivals and in 2008, Ms Khar retained her constituency. In 2018, the mother of former parliamentarians Basit Bukhari and Haroon Bukhari was elected an MPA.

Read full story here

DO party manifestos show intentions? Going by past record, they do not. Hardly ever have parties adhered to manifestos. But manifestos do show what parties want the people to know or think about their intentions.

Should party manifestos be judged on the basis of what is being promised or should there be some assessment of whether or not the promises are realistic and what plans, however rudimentary, have been shared about how promises will be fulfilled?

If we go with promises alone, a party with no intention of fulfilling them can promise the moon in their manifesto. If realism is the test, the more realistic plans will look too modest compared to those promising the moon.

The best option seems to be to have some idea of what the promises are, while keeping in mind our current position, and examining the ways parties are suggesting for fulfilling their promises. Since worked-out plans are not shared in manifestos, it remains a bit of a guessing game.

Read the full op-ed here.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has urged minority communities to vote for his party in the Feb 8 polls for the prosperity of the country.

Speaking at the representatives of the minority communities in Lahore, Mr Sharif said during his tenure as prime minister some unfortunate incidents against Christians (Jaranwala case) took place in which those involved were brought to justice.

He said the PML-N always had preferences for the minority communities representation in the lower and upper houses of the parliament and other assemblies.

The public and private schools and colleges in Islamabad will observe week-long holidays starting this Saturday ahead of the general elections.

According to a notification issued here by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, the schools and colleges in Islamabad—both public and private—will observe holidays from February 6 to February 9 and will reopen on Saturday, February 10.

Practically, the educational institutions will observe week-long holidays starting tomorrow, Saturday, followed by Sunday’s off.

Read more here.

At least 10 bomb and grenade attacks have rocked different areas of Balochistan in one day, resulting in the death of one man, a provincial government official confirmed.

Several police stations and deputy commissioners’ offices were targeted in the attacks in which six people, including a police officer and a jail warden, were injured.

“At least 10 bomb and grenade attacks happened across Balochistan, including provincial capital Quetta,” the senior official told Dawn.

In the attacks in Quetta, Khuzdar and Turbat, the offices of PML-N and National Party, and a joint office of BNP-M and JUI-F were targeted with grenades. However, no loss of life was reported. The offices of deputy commissioners in Dhadar and Panjgur were also targeted with hand grenades.

Read more here.

After losing its electoral symbol ‘bat’ and possibly the reserved seats in the National Assembly, the PTI has approached four political parties, including religiopolitical outfits, in hope its ‘independent’ members will join these parties after the election, which will allow the former ruling party to retain its reserved seats through proxy measures.

In another bid to reclaim its symbol, the PTI has decided to hold intra-party polls on Feb 5, but the party leaders are not hopeful about the desired outcome.

It also believes the establishment will not allow any political party to gain a simple majority, and a ‘coalition government’ will be installed with strings attached. This was disclosed during a media briefing by PTI information secretary Raoof Hasan, also the federal election commissioner for the intra-party polls, on Thursday.

Read more here.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has told reporters that the ECP would use the Election Management System (EMS) despite voices of concern from political parties fearing a repeat of the 2018 Result Transmission System (RTS) fiasco.

He said the system would function even if the issue of internet connectivity arose on the polling day.

He said there was no discussion regarding the internet shutdown on the polling day but the EMS would work offline in case of internet service disruption.

Read more here.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.