ISLAMABAD: Voting for Pakistan’s one-day general elections has started at 8 am at polling stations across the country as over 128 million registered voters exercise their right to vote till 5 pm.
Voters have started reaching polling stations to cast their votes to elect a new government for the next five years. Long queues have been seen inside the polling stations set up to facilitate voters cast their votes with the nation hoping of economic progress and stability in the country.
Voting in Pakistan’s one-day general elections commenced at 8 am today, with polling stations welcoming over 128 million registered voters until 5 pm. People are turning out to exercise their democratic rights, hoping for a new government to lead the nation towards economic progress and stability.
Despite recent terrorist attacks claiming precious lives, the government has swiftly acted to ensure citizen safety. Mobile services have been temporarily suspended nationwide as a precautionary measure to maintain peace and order in the face of potential threats.
The Ministry of Interior spokesperson announced the decision to suspend mobile services, highlighting its significance in bolstering security measures. This action aims to disrupt communication channels used by terrorist elements, aiding law enforcement agencies in thwarting any planned attacks and protecting innocent lives.
Although the suspension may inconvenience the public, the government stresses its critical role in combating terrorism. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with security forces to swiftly restore normalcy, underscoring the government’s commitment to safeguarding its people.
The nation stands united against those seeking to disrupt peace, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.
Electorate
Out of Pakistan’s total population of 241.4 million, more than 128 million registered voters are participating in the election process to elect members to 266 National Assembly seats and 593 provincial assembly seats.
In the period between the last two general elections, the number of registered voters has surged by 27.4 percent, rising from 86,189,828 in 2013 to 106,000,239 in 2018. Since then, there has been an additional increase of 22 million registered voters (21.7%), totaling 125,760,588, which includes 12.5 million women.
A remarkable total of 5,121 candidates are contesting in the elections, reflecting diverse party affiliations and ideologies. Among these candidates, 4,807 are men, 312 are women, and two identify as transgender individuals, all competing for the 266 general seats in the National Assembly. Simultaneously, there are 12,695 candidates competing for 593 general seats across the four provincial assemblies, comprising 12,123 men, 570 women, and two transgender individuals. Both national and regional assembly voting will occur on the same day.
Polling stations
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established a total of 90,675 polling stations nationwide. These include 25,320 male-only stations, 23,950 female-only stations, and 41,405 combined stations accommodating both genders.
In Punjab, there are 50,944 polling stations, with 14,556 designated for men, 14,036 for women, and 22,352 for both sexes. Sindh will have 19,006 polling stations, comprising 4,443 for men, 4,413 for women, and 10,250 combined stations. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will host 15,697 polling stations, including 4,810 for men, 4,286 for women, and 6,601 combined stations.
Balochistan’s tally stands at 5,028 polling stations, with 1,511 for men, 1,317 for women, and 2,200 combined stations. Nationwide, there are 276,398 polling stations, with 147,552 for men and 127,846 for women.
The distribution across provinces is as follows: Punjab – 149,434 polling stations, Sindh – 65,005, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 47,077, and Balochistan – 14,882.
Young Voters
Within the age categories, the largest share of voters falls in the 26-35 age range. In the younger category of 18-25 years, the share of voters is significantly lower, 18 percent.
The 36-45 age group comprises 22 percent of registered voters. The 46-55 age group has 14 percent of voters, while only nine percent of voters fall into the 56-65 age group. Finally, individuals age 65 and older make up 10 percent of the electorate.
