KARACHI: Eighty thousand members of the Electoral College will today make history by going to the polls, for the first time, to elect the country’s President for the next five years. The entire nation is keyed up, showing unparalleled interest in the outcome of the election. President Ayub Khan and the other main contestant, Miss Fatima Jinnah, concluding their hectic election campaigns, have returned to Rawalpindi and Karachi respectively to wait for the results. …Results from most polling stations are expected to be known, unofficially, by late evening. … The final results, however, will be announced by the Election Commission from Rawalpindi in a couple of days.

President Ayub Khan is supported by the Pakistan Muslim League, while Miss Fatima Jinnah is jointly backed by five opposition parties. The other two candidates, Mr K.M. Kamal and Mian Bashir Ahmed are contesting the election independently. Correspondents from all over the country report feverish election activity. Walls in villages and cities have been plastered with huge posters.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2015