Live: Elections 2024

Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan Tareen has said he would work with Nawaz Sharif post-election to strengthen the economy.

Addressing a rally in Multan, he said he had no problem working with the PML-N supremo. Tareen vowed to provide tens of thousands of jobs if he emerged victorious in the polls.

“We will try that everyone who votes for us, we work for their betterment. One cannot only work for themselves,” he said.

Former premier and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said everyone had the right to campaign but asserted that “purchasing votes” is the worst form of disrespect to the democratic process.

His comments came after PML-N leader Atta Tarar alleged that the PPP was “buying votes” by seizing identity cards of people. At the same time, the Bilawal-led party claimed that Tarar and his “goons” stormed the PPP’s office in Lahore and harassed party workers.

“Everyone has a right to participated in electioneering, but this business is nothing but demeaning the vote […] this is not ‘vote ko izzat do’,” Shehbaz said.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan’s improved position on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) proves his party’s honesty and sincerity with the nation.

In a report released earlier this week, the Transparency Index said Pakistan’s position on the corruption index improved by seven spots from 140 out of 180 countries in 2022 to 133 in 2023.

At a press conference, Shehbaz referred to the report and said that the truthfulness of a leader could only be gauged by the level of corruption in the society.

“When I was appointed PM, you know how the worst flood came […] we distributed aid, we distributed free flour in Punjab […] and God willing, CPI, which had reached its height during the tenure of Imran Niazi, came down to 133 in just a year,” he said.

“The credit goes to Nawaz Sharif. What I want to say is that a poison was spread in the country by chanting chor,” Shehbaz added.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said the future of millions of people in the country was attached to the Feb 8 elections.

At a press conference in Lahore, he lamented that corruption allegations were hurled at the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif in 2013. “But, god willing, no one could prove these accusations.”

PML-N Marriyum Aurangzeb has said party president and former premier Shehbaz Sharif will address an important press conference shortly.

Two teenage boys were shot at and wounded in a clash between activists of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan in New Karachi late on Friday night, police said on Saturday.

The police claimed to have arrested around 30 suspects belonging to both sides.

Both the parties held separate press conferences and levelled allegations and counter allegations, holding each other responsible for the breakdown of law and order.

One of the boys suffered a bullet wound in the head and his condition was said to be critical. A third victim of the clash suffered injuries when both sides pelted each other with stones.

Read more here.

PTI leaders during a power show in Swabi said implicating the party founder and former prime minister in what they said baseless and politically-motivated cases had backfired as popularity of the incarcerated leader had increased manifold, which would be proven in the Feb 8 elections.

The power show was held in Naro Kali area, three kilometers from the district headquarters, along the Swabi-Mardan Road.

PTI district president Sohail Yousafzai claimed that the party managed to hold a successful show despite facing roadblocks from the police and the district administration.

The speakers said the powers that be were adamant on bringing to the helm PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif by entangling their leader (Imran) in ‘fabricated cases’.

PTI General Secretary Omar Ayub claims a party worker in Haripur, identified as Allahyar Khan, has “disappeared” from police custody.

“Allahyar Khan has been shifted to an unknown location and Haripur Police is not informing his family members as to where he is or the charges against him despite the fact that 24 hours have passed since his arrest,” he wrote on X.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman has expressed displeasure at the violation of the election code of conduct and bullying by PML-N workers.

In a post on X, she condemned the attack on the PPP’s election office a day earlier and demanded immediate action from the ECP. “The election commission should take strict notice of this incident and reject the papers of the representatives involved in the attack,” she demanded.

“Due to the popularity of the People’s Party in Lahore under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the opponents have become confused,” Sherry added.

The Ele­ction Commission of Pak­istan (ECP) conducted another mock test of the controversial Election Management System (EMS) to be used for the upcoming general elections and described the trial as successful as the previous one.

The system designed for tabulation and compilation of election results, successfully completed all the required steps and goals, the ECP said.

According to ECP spokesman Syed Nadeem Haider, returning officers of 859 constituencies across the country participated in the experimental exercise of EMS and the system’s eligibility was tested both online and off­line and was found to be satisfactory in all respects.

He explained that the main purpose of EMS was tabulation and compilation of election results and it would be used on the polling day.

Read more here.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court has ruled that electoral laws must be interpreted by courts in favour of enfranchisement rather than disenfranchisement so that maximum choice remains with the voters to elect their future leadership.

“The aim of prescribing qualifications and disqualifications (under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution) for candidates to contest elections is to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the political process,” observed Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah in a judgement he wrote.

These criteria are designed to ensure that individuals holding public office meet certain standards, Justice Shah observed, adding that in a well-functioning democracy, the criteria for qualifications and disqualifications were clearly defined, publicly known and uniformly applied.

Courts should deal with the matters of acceptance or rejection of the nomination papers with this approach, which is rooted in the constitutional rights and values, Justice Shah wrote.

Read full story here.

The rivalry between the PML-N and PPP in NA-127 intensified when the former’s candidate Atta Tarar allegedly barged into the latter’s party office along with his supporters on the claim that votes were being bought there for his opponent candidate PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

The PPP has termed it an attack on the party election office by the “PML-N goons” led by Atta Tarar in which they abducted some PPP workers as well. The PPP also announced moving the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PML-N candidate.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has disqualified PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi for five years after his conviction in the cipher case.

In a notification issued today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the commission barred him from the upcoming February 8 general elections as well as “any subsequent elections for a period of five years”.

It added that he was disqualified under Article 63(1h) of the Constitution, read with Section 232 of the Elections Act, 2017.

PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar has alleged that PPP members were caught by him engaging in “buying and selling of votes” in Lahore’s NA-127 constituency.

Sindh Inspector General Riffat Mukhtar Raja has instructed officials to enhance the election security plan in light of the recent law and order challenges in the provincial capital.

Chairing a meeting today, the police chief emphasised that any information regarding “minor incidents” should not be disregarded. Instead, prompt follow-up actions must be taken to prevent the situation from worsening.

He urged the expansion of the intelligence network at polling stations and their surrounding areas. “Swift responses are essential for addressing code of conduct violations during patrolling.

He said there should be an increased focus on random snap checks, reconnaissance, and heightened monitoring of areas,“ he instructed the officials.

It is pertinent to mention here that a law and order situation escalated on Friday night in the New Karachi area as political workers from two parties clashed, resulting in the death of a teenager.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari claimed that Nawaz Sharif, aspiring for a fourth term as prime minister, is unwilling to engage in a debate with him.

“He’s afraid of the people and is seeking rigging, similar to what was done for Imran Khan,” he claimed at a party rally.

Taking a swipe at the former premier, Bilawal noted that the PML-N has not organised a single rally in Sindh, emphasising their lack of substantial work in the province during their tenure in power.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has alleged that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif is pressuring officials of the caretaker government to send Form-45s and Form-47s ahead of time to Raiwind to rig the polls for Mirpurkhas.

“He wants that he can decide the results of Mirpurkhas while sitting in Raiwing,” he said while referring to Nawaz. “He is conspiring about how to usurp Mirpurkhas’s vote.”

Bilawal said the PML-N wanted to get the PPP contestants defeated and asked the charged crowd if it would allow that to happen.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has alleged that other political parties are only busy “taking personal revenge” instead of engaging in politics.

Addressing an election rally in Mirpurkhas, he said the other parties were pursuing politics of “hate and division” instead of serving the nation.

“If we are doing politics then it is because we want to serve you. If we are competing then it is against poverty, unemployment and inflation instead of any other party.”

In light of the upcoming elections, negotiations are underway between the Pakistan Ulema Council and the PML-N, state-run wire service APP reports citing sources.

It said the PUC may extend its support to candidates from the PML-N.

Leaders from both the PUC and PML-N are set to announce decisions in a crucial press conference on Sunday.

The PUC chairman and other leaders have reportedly their support for candidates from the PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in some constituencies, including in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the wire service.

Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi’s conviction and sentencing to seven years of imprisonment in the Iddat case has generated a strong backlash from lawyers and civil society who have denounced the verdict.

Lawyer Basil Nabi Malik told Dawn.com that when a former prime minister’s marriage resulted in not only a seven-year conviction but also a fine, “one should not only be worried about where we are headed but also about the intellectual bankruptcy of our preoccupations.”

Lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii referred to the verdict as a “joke”, saying that they “serve only to expose the circus that is our judicial system. They bring to the world the rot that is the rule of law in our country.”

Read more here.

The Election Commission of Pakistan says it has completed the training of approximately 1.49 million electoral staff members for the successful conduct of Feb 8 general elections.

In a statement, the ECP spokesperson stated that a total of 27,676 training sessions, engaging 3,821 trainers, were conducted over a span of 87 days.

It said the commission trained approximately 5,000 officers and data entry operators (DEOs) through 148 training sessions before integrating them with the returning officers.

PML-N supermo Nawaz Sharif has said that the country’s poverty and unemployment issues will be eliminated if he secures victory in the upcoming Feb 8 general elections.

“If my government had not been dismissed, not one person here would have been unemployed,” said Nawaz.

“Had my government remained, people would have been satisfied; they would have been able to make ends meet, unlike today,” he added.

Addressing the youth of Pakistan, he assured them that he will once again build motorways, universities and hospitals across Pakistan, in addition to tackling unemployment and poverty in the country.

PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif has said that there was a significant decline in corruption in Pakistan when Nawaz Sharif assumed the role of prime minister in 2013.

Addressing a rally in Gujranwala, Shehbaz referenced statistics from the Transparency International Corruption Index, stating, “Nawaz improved Pakistan’s rankings from 141 to 117.”

He continued by questioning the performance of the current government, saying, “Then a government came in and foul-mouthed its rivals. But I ask you all, has he [Imran Khan] built any houses in his four years in power?”

“When Nawaz was in power, infrastructure projects spanned across Pakistan, including roads and dams, and the youth were provided with laptops,” he asserted, adding that if given the opportunity to be in power again, he would reinitiate those schemes.

After his conviction in Iddat case, PTI chief Imran Khan said he has neither accepted nor would accept in future any deals with the powers that be, saying, going as far as saying that he would “choose death over making a deal with anyone”.

In a brief chat with court reporters after the verdict, he said, “I have not made a deal, nor will I ever make one.”

He said that his party’s top leadership was targeted right after the announcement of the election schedule.

“Now, election candidates are not even being allowed to run their campaigns,” he rued.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari says he will launch a train project in Tharparkar when his party comes into power.

Addressing a rally in Tharparkar, the former foreign minister said the PPP will arrange trains from Tharparkar to Karachi so the people can travel back and forth easily.

Following his conviction in Iddat case, PTI founder Imran Khan told court reporters that the case against him was created to “humiliate and disgrace” both him and his spouse, Bushra Bibi.

“This marks the first instance in history where a case related to Iddat has been initiated,” he said.

Imran said it was also the first time that someone was sentenced 14 years imprisonment in a Toshakhana case.

A Rawalpindi court has sentenced former premier Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to seven years each in a case related to their marriage during the latter’s Iddat period.

Senior civil judge Qudratullah announced the verdict on the complaint of Bushra’s former husband Khawar Fareed Maneka in a makeshift court at the Adiala district jail.

The verdict comes in the same week the ex-premier was sentenced to 10 years in the cipher case and 14 years in the Toshakhana case.

MQM-P leader Faisal Subzwari has urged the caretaker government to cancel weapon licenses till the Feb 8 general elections in a bid to control violence.

“The government should place a ban on carrying weapons,” he said while addressing a press conference in Karachi.

“They [PPP leaders] think they can win the elections with the use of weapons,” Subzwari remarked. “You cannot win the hearts of people here by building a few roads.”

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed polls in four constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies due to the deaths of the candidates, APP reports.

The delayed elections impact one national constituency and four provincial seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. These seats are NA-8 Bajaur, PK-22 Bajaur, PK-91 Kohat, and PP-266.

Independent candidate Rehan Zeb Khan, running for the National Assembly constituency NA-8 and provincial assembly constituency PK-22 in Bajaur-IV, was assassinated, leading the ECP to cancel elections.

Additionally, elections for NA-91, Kohat-II, were postponed following the passing of Asmat Ullah Khan.

Following the demise of Israr Hussain, son of Talib Hussain and a candidate for the Punjab Assembly constituency PP-266 (Rahim Yar Khan XII), the ECP has postponed the elections in that particular constituency also.

The remaining contesting candidates will not be required to submit fresh nomination papers or deposit further dues once the revised schedule for these areas is released, as stated by the electoral watchdog.

Balochistan’s Interior Minister Zubair Jamali has said that over 80 per cent of polling stations in the province have been categorised as “sensitive,” with 34pc marked as “highly sensitive.”

Only 19pc of polling stations in Balochistan have been identified “normal”, the minister said in an interview with Dawn News programme “Doosra Rukh”.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Balochistan government has also barred political parties from holding rallies and corner meetings.

Jamaat-i-Islami Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has accused the MQM and PPP of attempting to regain power through “coercive measures”, claiming that their popularity is dwindling among the public.

During a press conference in Karachi, Rehman asserted that the PPP is losing favour rapidly among Baloch and Sindhi communities. He claimed that the PPP is resorting to leveraging feudal influence as a strategy to remain politically relevant.

PPP leader Saeed Ghani has expressed concerns that the situation in Karachi might deteriorate on Feb 8 unless proper measures are implemented to control sporadic incidents of violence.

During a press conference in Karachi, Ghani insisted that the PPP is committed to a non-violent approach, adding that elements apprehensive of facing defeat are attempting to disrupt the law and order situation.

The local police have yet to register a case over the murder of Rehan Zeb Khan, an election candidate affiliated with PTI, who was killed on Wednesday.

Sources in the police and Rehan Zeb’s family told Dawn on Friday that the police had yet to lodge a case against the assailants involved in the attack, occurred in the Sadiqabad Bazaar.

A police official also confirmed to Dawn that a case of the attack was yet to be registered.

The official, however, said the case of the incident would be registered when the family members of the slain could submit an application for it. The official said efforts were underway to trace those involved in the killing.

Read more here.

PTI leader Zartaj Gul Wazir has given a strong warning to the opposition regarding harassment and arrests of her party workers.

“Remember this, if today the doors of my house and my workers’ houses are being broken down, then tomorrow the same can happen to you,” she said at a meeting in Dera Ghazi Khan.

The PTI in 2018 elections enjoyed almost a clean sweep in district East of Karachi, winning all four National Assembly seats and eight out of nine Sindh Assembly seats.

But with the party facing serious challenges after May 9 violence, would it be able to repeat the history? It remains to be seen.

Read more here

Baloch activist Dr Mahrang Baloch has lamented that “whichever government comes into power, the human rights violations and extrajudicial killings will persist in Balochistan.”

“It has never been of genuine concern to the leadership,” she said in a post on X.

Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi has assured that the government has made arrangements to ensure the security and integrity of the process providing security to polling stations.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Solangi said a three-tier security system would be in place, starting with the police taking main responsibility, followed by civil forces, and then then the army.

“We have more than ample resources available to ensure peaceful free and fair elections on Thursday, February 8,” he said.

The minister acknowledged the speculations of elections being cancelled owing to weather and security concerns, as well as “Iran-Pakistan skirmishes”.

“The caretaker government has been consistent from day one about elections taking place,” Solangi added.

Ayub Khan Ashari, the Awami National Party’s (ANP) Swat president and candidate of NA-2, has addressed a corner meeting in Tehsil Khawaja Khela Bar Lakhar in connection with preparations for the general elections.

“Those who want to abolish Articles 62 [and] 63 will not get a chance to hold the seat [of prime minister],” Jamaat-e-Islami’s chief Sirajul Haq said in a post on X.

PTI has promised to establish an “empowered Truth and Reconciliation Commission” if elected in the February 8 elections.

In a post on X, it said the commission would “identify mistakes and their causes on behalf of the nation in a period of 12 months and also determine the responsible parties”.

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said if voted to power, the PPP would withdraw subsidies from the aristocracy and 300 units of electricity would be provided free of charge to the poor, APP reports.

Addressing an electoral gathering in Qasba Gharmani, organized for the PPP candidate and her brother Raza Rabbani Khar in NA-180, she said that the people of her constituency had made it possible for her to represent the country.

She promised to establish a university, nursing college, vocational school, and the latest hospital in Kot Addu.

She recalled that her father Ghulam Muhammad Noor Rabbani Khar had brought gas, electricity and roads to the constituency.

Her younger brother and PPP candidate Raza Rabbani Khar vowed to build the constituency into an exemplary area after being elected and will weave a network of development works in the constituency.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has said that state institutions need to stop their political interference that has “weakened democracy”.

In an interview with VOA Urdu, he said that political parties have made the democratic process a game of “musical chairs”, where they vie for a seat.

He said that while most people live with a false hope that elections might be free and fair elections, that had never been the case.

The PTI has vowed that if elected to power, it would take initiatives to reduce the poverty level by “up to 25 per cent” through the expansion of its Ehsaas programme.

In a post on X, the party said it would provide loans and technical training to people living below the poverty line.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed all arrangements for the upcoming general elections on February 8, Radio Pakistan reports.

According to the report, over 120 million registered voters will cast their vote for the national and provincial assemblies. The ECP has established 90,675 polling stations in all four provinces.

Of these, 41,403 are combined polling stations while 25,320 are for men and 23,952 are for women voters.

A total of 5,121 — comprising 4,807 men, 312 women and two transgender persons — candidates are in the race for the National Assembly seats. The elections will be held on 266 general NA seats and 593 general seats in the provincial assemblies.

The PTI has shared details of its nominated candidates for the National Assembly for the upcoming polls.

With its candidates contesting as independents with different electoral symbols, the party shared the list of the names, constituency numbers and symbols in a series of posts on social media platform X.

Phones rang in the state of New Hampshire ahead of primary elections. Joe Biden’s voice was heard over the line. “We know the value of voting Democrats. It’s important that you save your vote for the November election,” the voice said.

“Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.” Between 5,000 and 25,000 calls were made. The Biden administration never initiated any of those calls, and the voice was a deepfake — generated through artificial intelligence (AI) and mastered to sound like President Biden.

This example is part of a broader trend where AI-generated content was used to mislead voters during election periods. In Bangladesh, feeds of ‘international’ news channels were created using AI ahead of elections.

While imposing stringent laws or criminalising disinformation are pegged as solutions, such measures could inadvertently criminalise free speech and be used to suppress legitimate discourse. Therefore, the answer to combating disinformation isn’t as straightforward as ‘enacting a law against fake news’, or erecting a ‘national firewall’. It requires a careful balance between regulation and the preservation of free expression.

Read more here.

US congressman Micheal McCaul has said that he will be closely following the upcoming February 8 elections, urging the interim government to respect democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law during the process.

Pildat president, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, has analysed whether elected independent candidates can join to form a parliamentary group of a party that doesn’t exist in the National Assembly and claim a share in the reserved seats for women and minorities.

He took the case study of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) after the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that after the 2019 KP elections for 16 general seats allocated to erstwhile Fata districts, three independent MPAs decided to join the BAP — a party which didn’t exist in the provincial assembly before.

He continued, “Based on the strength of three out of 16, BAP was allocated one of the four seats reserved for women. This was despite the fact that BAP had not submitted a priority list of its candidates against reserved women seats.”

However, he added that the party had an election symbol and was on the “right side of the power”.

“Sad that PTI has decided to defer its intra-party election and thus the quest for a symbol and reserved seats,” he said.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has said that the upcoming February 8 election will be “one of its kind”.

In an interview with VOA Urdu, he said that each election in Pakistan has had “quite different results from the previous one”.

He pointed out that Section 144 had been imposed in various cities, which made it difficult for parties to campaign: “Election and [Section] 144? This itself is a strange thing.”

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will address a power show at Gujranwala’s Jinnah Stadium today, party leader Marriyum Aurangzeb has said.

He will talk about his election manifesto and the current crises facing the country.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said his party wants to extend and replicate “Sindh’s health revolution” to the other provinces.

Addressing a press conference in Jacobabad, he said questions would be raised on where the PPP would procure money from for its aims and said the party would do so within the country’s current means and resources.

“Seventeen ministries should have been dissolved after 18th Amendment” but neither PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif nor PTI founder Imran Khan did that, Bilawal said.

He also said the time had come to curtail subsidies to the elites.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has officially postponed the elections in three constituencies—NA-8 (Bajaur), PK-22 (Bajaur), and PK-91 (Kohat) —scheduled for February 8 due to the death of two candidates contesting in those constituencies.

As per the ECP notification, elections in PK-91 (Kohat III) have been deferred due to the death of candidate Asmatullah Khan. Similarly, polls in two Bajaur constituencies (NA-8 and PK-22) have also been postponed following the death of Rehan Zeb Khan.

“Fresh proceedings will commence after the general elections 2024 and the schedule for said constituencies will be announced,” the ECP added.

Shangla Police have issued an order instructing lady health workers (LHWs) to assume duties at polling stations for the Feb 8 elections, triggering discontent among the LHWs who see the assignments as “in contravention of the laws.”

Shangla District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada has issued a list comprising the names of 270 lady health workers for election duties.

Shahid Khan, the provincial information secretary of the LHWs programme, told Dawn.com that the order contradicts the rules and laws governing LHWs.

He emphasised that as primarily housewives and not full-time government servants, LHWs should not be compelled to follow such directives.

Khan highlighted the vulnerability of LHWs as a suppressed and economically disadvantaged community, stating that they are often assigned duties without consideration for their job description and pay.

He noted the decision to hold a protest rally against these perceived injustices, asserting their unwillingness to work beyond their designated areas.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that today is the day for “the arrow to be buried”.

Addressing an election rally in Hyderabad, he said: “This city has come to give a warning that today Hyderabad’s jiyalay have run away … Hyderabad has shown that day and dream which we have to see.”

Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party’s Aleem Khan, who is contesting polls from the NA-117 (Lahore-I) constituency, has garnered the support of former MNA Malik Riaz in the upcoming general elections.

An important meeting convened at Police Lines Qilla Gujjar Singh and chaired by Lahore Capital City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana finalised planning for the peaceful conduct of the upcoming general elections, APP reports.

A comprehensive review of security measures was undertaken. DIG (Operations) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi presented a detailed briefing on the election process and security protocols for polling day.

CCPO Kamyana affirmed Lahore Police’s full preparedness for the orderly conduct of the elections as far as security was concerned. Emphasising a zero-tolerance approach, he declared that stringent action would be taken against jubilant firing and display of weapons during the election campaign and polling day.

The meeting mandated the acquisition of surety bonds from individuals with a history of longstanding enmity. The CCPO underscored that law-breaking elements would face firm measures during the election campaign.

He also directed supervisory officers to maintain constant communication with district returning officers, presiding officers, district administration, and all stakeholders.

Further, he stressed the importance of regular visits to polling stations, camp offices, and duty points to assess and ensure the adequacy of arrangements.

The CCPO instructed police officers and officials to remain vigilant until the completion of vote counting, ensuring the secure transfer of relevant polling materials. Any negligence related to duty would be met with departmental action, he warned.

PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar has suggested the formation of three-member committees, one from his side and the other from former premier Imran Khan’s side, to prepare a roadmap for restructuring the party.

During a press conference in Islamabad, Babar said, “I would form a similar committee, and the two bodies could draft terms of reference (ToRs) to proceed with the talks.”

“Holding transparent intra-party elections will be at the top of the list, followed by bringing transparency to the party and making efforts to guide the youth in the right direction,” he said.

The PTI has claimed that party-backed candidate Arshad Ali Munda, contesting for the upcoming elections from Sheikhupura, was arrested during an election campaign.

It alleged that the arrest, made without a warrant, came at the behest of PML-N Rana Tanveer.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has urged the nation to vote for trustworthy and sincere leaders in the forthcoming general elections.

Addressing a public gathering in Tank, he said the JUI-F had always fought elements that threatened Pakistan’s foundation and promoted vulgarity among the youth.

Fazl said his party did not want enmity with anyone, but vowed that the JUI-F would not support any external agency aimed at weakening the country.

He further stated that his party’s manifesto was in accordance with Islamic principles.

JI chief Sirajul Haq has said that the people of Pakistan need a government that provides unemployment and old age allowance.

“Anyone who doesn’t have a roof over his head should also be provided with a house,” he added while addressing a party rally in Punjab’s Gujranwala. “An ill person should also be given free medical treatment.”

Haq asserted that all this was possible if the country drifted away from an interest-based system to a charity-based one.

The Qaumi Watan Party has unveiled its election manifesto, promising free and improved healthcare across the country.

It promised the establishment of various 24/7 Basic Healthcare Units (BHUs), free testing and medicines through a voucher system and one bed per 500 patients.

The party also promised a burn centre in every divisional hospital, and a burn unit in every district headquarters hospital.

PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has said that her party refrains from engaging in the “politics of accusations” and competes only when it comes to welfare.

Speaking at a public gathering in Faisalabad, Maryam remarked that the warm reception given to Nawaz in the city made it seem as though he had never been absent for the past four years.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has promised to work for the nation without expecting anything in return.

At a rally in Shikarpur, the former foreign minister said Pakistan was bearing the brunt of infighting among politicians. and vowed to put an end to the politics of hate and division if voted into power.

“I will take care of you and expect nothing in return,” he said.

“It will rain arrows on February 8,” Bilawal added, referring to the party’s electoral symbol.

Former premier Nawaz Sharif has said his political party is committed to restoring a period when inflation was effectively controlled.

Addressing a rally in Faisalabad, the elder Sharif expressed his belief that the country would be faring much better had his government not been ousted from power in 2017.

In an apparent reference to the PTI, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said the “real Pakistani youth” is standing with the PML-N and not with any other party.

“The real Pakistani youth, not the mummy-daddy one, is with us and that is why Nawaz Sharif loves you,” he told a party rally in Faisalabad.

Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has appealed to the masses to vote for the PML-N in Feb 8 general elections “to secure better future for the youth of the country”.

Addressing a rally in Faisalabad, the PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif said his party had undertaken several development projects in Faisalabad and would roll out similar initiatives countrywide, if voted to power.

Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari has promised public welfare projects such as youth and agriculture cards for the people of Sindh if the PPP emerges victorious in the upcoming general elections.

Addressing PPP supporters in Sindh’s Naushahro Feroze, Aseefa said she was campaigning on behalf of her brother Bilawal, who is eyeing the post of prime minister.

“PPP is fighting for you. We will bring welfare projects for you,” she said. “Vote for Bilawal on Feb 8 and we will solve all your problems.”

The Sindh government has declared February 8 (Thursday) as a public holiday across the province in view of general elections.

According to a notification issued by the chief secretary, all offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, Local Councils and private organizations/ institutions in the province except essential services and the departments and officers/officials engaged in election duties, will be closed on Feb 8.

A day after announcing the schedule for fresh intra-party polls, the PTI said on Friday it had decided to reschedule them for after the upcoming general elections over the “unfortunate security situation created by the administration” and concerns expressed by members.

After a long battle and marathon hearings last month, the PTI was stripped of its symbol when the Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to declare the party’s internal polls as “unconstitutional”.

As a result, the party’s members are now contesting the elections as independent candidates with different electoral symbols, which has raised fears of horse-trading and floor crossing. The PTI also no longer has the right to reserved seats for women and minorities.

In another bid to reclaim its symbol, the PTI had decided to hold intra-party polls on Feb 5 during its general body meeting on Wednesday.

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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has fixed the election duties of its officers and employees for the general polls across the country on Feb 8, under which the staffers will perform duties in two shifts around the clock, APP reports.

“The authority has fixed the election duties of officers and employees for the general elections to be held on February 8,” the ECP spokesman told APP.

He said that ECP has issued a notification in which it conveyed the Terms of Reference (TORs) regarding grievance cell, media, social media coordination and monitoring.

The spokesman said that the staffers will perform duties in two shifts for 24 hours in a batch of four teams constituted for each constituency for conducting polls from February 8 to 10.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that he takes “no pleasure” in former prime minister Imran Khan’s recent convictions in the cipher and Toshakhana cases.

“I take no pleasure in Khan’s convictions, I am not celebrating the fact that yet another PM is convicted,” he said in a conversation with WION news.

“This sort of thing has become the way of Pakistani politics and I want to break this tradition to bring political and economic stability in the country,” Bilawal added.

JI emir Sirajul Haq has said the first job his party would do if elected in the upcoming general elections would be to strengthen law and order in the country.

“Nothing, not even a bird, can thrive in an environment of fear,” he said in a podcast. “How will people do business when they are always scared?” Siraj asked.

Sindh Caretaker Information Minister Ahmed Shah has said that 6,531 polling stations in the province were deemed “sensitive” due to security reasons.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Shah said 5,979 polling stations did not have security concerns.

He said that 115,030 police personnel, 7,000 Quick Response Force personnel, 998 policemen from the anti-encroachment department, 550 excise police officials, 282 anti-corruption officials, 400 from the forest department, 500 civil defence officials, 22,870 lady health workers, and 9,600 Rangers personnel would be on election duty.

Caretaker Sindh Information Minister Ahmed Shah has said that intelligence agencies including the Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence have made comprehensive plans to tackle any untoward incident at polling stations in the province.

People who try to steal votes will be disappointed, he said at a press conference in Karachi.

“We have clear-cut instructions from top to bottom,” he highlighted. “First line of defence is the police, the second line of defence is Rangers and the army’s Quick Response Force will also be nearby.”

Shah further assured that the army was standing behind the public, the interim government and the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The Commonwealth of Nations’ observation team for the upcoming polls has met Islamabad police chief Dr Akbar Nasir Khan to discuss security arrangements in the capital.

In a post on X, the Islamabad police said senior officials were present in the meeting, which was held in the Command and Control Centre established for the elections.

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.

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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.