The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it has resolved 76 poll-related complaints, which were received throughout the day.
According to the ECP spokesperson, most of the complaints were of a “normal nature” involving confrontations between political workers in different areas which were resolved on the spot.
Amnesty International has called the suspension of mobile and internet services “a blunt attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly”.
“It is reckless to impede access to information as people head out to polling stations on the heels of devastating bomb blasts and what has been an intense crackdown on the opposition in the lead up to the elections in the country,” Amnesty International’s South Asia office said in a statement.
“Unwarranted restrictions on dissemination of information, despite reassurances to the contrary from the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority and Election Commission of Pakistan, are in breach of people’s human rights at this critical time in Pakistan.”
PTI, in a post on their X account, has alleged that PML-N workers are bullying voters in Punjab’s Khushab district.
“PML-N bullying continues even in Khushab, the journey from ‘respect the vote’ to ‘stealing votes by harassing voters’ continues rapidly!” PTI said in a post on their X account.
Amidst the hundreds of contests today, there are some that will be more closely watched than others, for a variety of reasons. Amir Wasim
February 8, 2024