[🇵🇰] Pakistan General Elections -- 2024

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'Imran not on ballot, but still on Pakistan’s mind'​

Ex-PM remains wildly popular among his supporters who grew up watching him win matches from impossible situations

AFP
February 05, 2024

Former prime minister Imran Khan, gestures as he speaks to the members of the media at his residence in Lahore May 18, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS

His name may not be on the ballot, but former prime minister Imran Khan will be on the country's mind as Pakistan votes in an election this week that observers say is deeply flawed without his participation.

The former international cricket star has been given three lengthy prison sentences in under a week and been banned from politics for 10 years -- officially excluding him from an election it never looked like he would be allowed to contest.

Khan enjoyed popular support when he became prime minister in 2018, but was booted from power in April 2022 by a no-confidence vote.

He then waged a risky and unprecedented campaign of defiance, but when his supporters trashed an army commander's HQ last May after his first arrest, it was the final straw.

 

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No home, no vote: Flood victims far removed from polling process​

RAZZAK ABRO

Displaced affectees with missing CNIC’s will be unable to cast their votes in the upcoming elections

 

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Democratic exercise : Election day turnout in K-P may dwindle​

AIHTESHAM KHAN

Terrorism threat, cold weather, and crackdown on PTI will discourage voters from showing up

 

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2 militants killed in North Waziristan IBO: ISPR​

Iftikhar Shirazi
February 6, 2024

Two terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, the military’s media affairs wing said on Tuesday.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted an IBO last night on the reported presence of terrorists.

“During the conduct of operation, intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists, as a result of which two terrorists were sent to hell, including terrorist ring leader Ayubullah Mansoor,” the ISPR said.

It added that weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the militants who “remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities, including targeted killing as well as extortion and abduction of innocent civilians”.

 

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Petition in IHC seeks action against political parties for failing to allocate 5pc tickets to women​

A petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking action against political parties for failing to ensure allocation of five per cent tickets to women candidates on general seats under the provisions of Section 206 of the Elections Act, 2017.

As per the petition filed by Aurat Foundation, it was revealed that only PML-N and MQM-P allocated over 5pc of their tickets to women for 266 National Assembly seats, while other political parties failed to meet this requirement.


Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC has issued notice to the ECP, seeking its response by tomorrow (Feb 7).

 

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143,156 policemen, volunteers to be deployed for election security in Sindh​

Sindh police have prepared a contingency plan for the forthcoming general election on Feb 8 under which 143,156 police personnel and volunteers would be deployed for the security of all polling stations, buildings, polling material etc. across the province.

According to a report submitted to the IGP Sindh Riffat Mukhtar Raja, there are a total of 14,052 polling buildings and 19,008 polling stations categorised as the most sensitive, sensitive and normal.

The report said there were a total of 6,801 most sensitive, 6,550 sensitive and 5,657 normal polling stations.

Out of a total of 143,156 policemen/volunteers, 95,400 would be deployed for security of polling stations, 10,648 personnel would be part of the “quick response force” while 37,108 would be volunteers/private security guards who would perform security duty.

 

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How do national elections in Pakistan work?​

Pakistan goes to the polls on Thursday in a widely watched national election that will lead to the formation of a new government to lead the crisis-ridden country for the next five years.

Here are some facts about how the electoral system works in Pakistan:

Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy and voting will take place for seats in the federal legislature, called the National Assembly, and four provincial legislatures.

• 128 million Pakistanis out of a population of 241m are eligible to vote — all those above 18.
• On election day, voters will cast their ballots for two legislators to represent their constituency — one federally and the other provincially.
• There are 5,121 candidates contesting for the federal legislature and 12,695 for the provinces.
• The National Assembly consists of 336 seats - 266 are decided through direct voting on polling day, while 70 reserved seats — 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims — are allotted according to the strength of each party in the house.
• Victorious candidates become members of the National Assembly. Independent candidates have the option to join any party after the elections.
• Once constituted, the NA holds a parliamentary vote to select a leader of the house, who becomes the premier.
• A successful candidate must show a simple majority in the house — that is, the support of at least 169 members.
• Once a prime ministerial candidate wins the vote in the NA, they are sworn in as prime minister.
• The new prime minister picks cabinet ministers, who form the federal government.
• A similar process is followed at the provincial level to pick a chief minister and a provincial government.

 

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Election campaigning to end tonight​

Tuesday night marks the end of election campaigns nationwide, providing voters with the opportunity to thoroughly contemplate their choices before voting for their favored candidates in both the national and provincial assemblies, APP reports.

According to election regulations, campaigning will cease precisely at midnight on the night between February 6 and 7.

The ECP cautions that candidates engaging in political activities after the deadline will face legal consequences. Additionally, the ECP appeals to the media and the public to collaborate for a free, fair, and transparent election process.

 

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275 women to contest upcoming elections on general seats​

In the upcoming general elections, 275 women from various political parties will be contesting the general seats, Associated Press of Pakistan reports.

According to Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen), 111 political parties have nominated 275 women candidates to contest the upcoming elections on general seats, making up for 4.6 per cent of the total of 6,037 candidates they have fielded.

Fafen’s analysis is based on the List of Contesting Candidates (Form-33) for National and Provincial Assemblies.

It states that out of 111 political parties, 30 parties have fielded five or more than 5pc women on general seats, while four political parties have fielded between 4.5pc and 4.9pc of women candidates on general seats (that is statistically rounded up to 5pc), and the remaining 77 have fielded up to 4.5pc women candidates on general seats.

 

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He himself is laughing.....​

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Youth crucial for making Pakistan ‘Asian Tiger’: Nawaz​

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif said that if his government had not been overthrown in 2017, all the citizens in the country would have been provided employment opportunities.

Speaking at a rally in Kasur, Nawaz expressed his vision for Pakistan to reclaim its status as an “Asian Tiger,” adding that the youth would help achieve this goal.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif addresses a rally in Kasur.