Following a national election on Thursday, Pakistan experienced notable delays in the vote count. Independent candidates backed by jailed Imran Khan's PTI party are leading the show. PTI candidates are running as independents after they were not allowed to use the party symbol.

Pakistan Election Result 2024: Imran Khan-backed independent candidates gain ground

Pakistan Election Result 2024: Independents backed by Imran Khan party take the lead in Pak polls

Nawaz Sharif has won his seat in Lahore amid allegations of "unprecedented pre-poll rigging" levelled by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party. Imran Khan's party has alleged tampering in vote counting for the formation of the new government.

Pakistan Election Result 2024: Former PM Nawaz Sharif wins from Lahore

The results of the 2024 general elections in Pakistan started trickling in on Friday (Feb 9) after much delay. In a post on X, the country's interior ministry said that a "lack of communication" led to the late processing of results.

The results of the 2024 general elections in Pakistan started trickling in on Friday (Feb 9) after much delay. In a post on X, the country's interior ministry said that a "lack of communication" led to the late processing of results. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the results of 106 out of the 265 contested seats in the national assembly by around mid-day. According to a report by Geo News, independent candidates, who were supporting jailed former prime minister Imran Khan won 47 seats, followed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) which won 24 seats, and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) had won 18 seats. The rest of the seats have been won by smaller parties. Nawaz Sharif won in his constituency- the NA-130- by over 171,000 votes. Mainstream parties in the country including Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the PPP alleged rigging in the elections. With the results of the rest of the seats remaining, here are top updates: > Nawaz Sharif has won in the NA-130 constituency while his younger brother and former PM Shehbaz Sharif has won the PP-158 seat in Lahore with 38,642 votes, preliminary results from ECP showed. Shehbaz Sharif also emerged victorious in the NA-123 seat in Lahore with 63,953 votes. > Imran Khan's PTI was barred from taking part in Thursday's election, and hence his supporters contested as independent candidates. Gohar Ali Khan, the PTI's current chairperson, has won the NA-10 constituency in Buner with 110,023 votes, the ECP said. Click here to follow all updates on the results of the Pakistan general elections > Mainstream political parties in Pakistan apart from the PML-N have alleged rigging in the elections. In Karachi, the PPP claimed that ballot papers were snatched from electoral staff in the PS-105 constituency, Dawn reported. In Punjab, PTI-backed candidate for Sialkot Rehana Dar said the returning officer refused to give her Form 45. > United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday expressed concerns about the violence on election day and the temporary suspension of mobile communications services in the South Asian country. > UN Secretary-General Antonio Gueterres expressed concern about the election violence. "As Pakistan awaits the results of the elections, the secretary-general encourages all political leaders and society segments to maintain a calm atmosphere, as well as refrain from the use of violence and any actions that could increase tensions," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. Also read | Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's party manifesto talks of ‘message of peace’ for India, but conditions apply > The PTI earlier claimed that it would form governments both at the centre and in provinces. In a statement issued late Thursday, PTI chief organiser Omar Ayub Khan and PTI Parliamentary Leader in Senate Barrister Ali Zafar said that preliminary results were very encouraging for their party, showing it as convincingly leading on an overwhelming number of seats across the country. > Despite heightened security in the run-up to the election and also the election day, incidents of violence were reported in Pakistan. Nine people, including two children, were killed on Thursday in bomb blasts, grenade attacks and shootings. Also watch | Pakistan elections 2024: Rivals PTI & PML-N claim victory, puts up a tough fight × > At least another 26 were killed on Wednesday in two explosions near electoral candidates' offices in the southwestern province of Balochistan. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for these attacks. > As the full election results are awaited, an analyst told the news agency Reuters that no party would have a majority and a coalition government is expected. "So we are looking at what everybody has anticipated that is a coalition government, which would probably be unstable, weak," Marvin Weinbaum, the director of Afghanistan and Pakistan Studies at the Middle East Institute, said. > "If it does, the results do come in, and it does look like the independents are the majority, the big loser won't necessarily be the PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz), it will be the army. Because the army really has staked its reputation on its ability to deliver this vote, now it hasn’t done that openly, but that is really what is involved here,” Weinbaum said. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan elections 2024 top updates: Results trickle in after unusual delay, parties allege rigging

Counting of votes began in Pakistan after the polling, marred by violence and terror attacks, ended on Thursday evening. According to Interior Ministry, the internet services have been partially restored in parts of the country. Amid the unrest and violence in many constituencies, the government had suspended mobile and internet services across the nation.

Pakistan Elections 2024: Votes counting underway, internet services partially restored

Pakistan on Thursday (Feb 8) suspended entire country's mobile phone service on election day, citing the "recent surge in terrorist activities". The move has been widely slammed as "beginning of rigging" of the elections with both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leaders coming out to slam the suspension of mobile internet services.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) blasted the suspension of mobile phone services, including the Internet, and urged people to remove personal WiFi passwords so that people can access the Internet amid ongoing polling.&nbsp;

"Pakistanis, the illegitimate, fascist regime has blocked cell phone services across Pakistan on polling day," former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party wrote on X.

"You are all requested to counter this cowardly act by removing passwords from your personal WiFi accounts, so anyone in the vicinity can have access to internet on this extremely important day," it urged the people.

While sharing a news piece from&nbsp;Dawn&nbsp;newspaper&nbsp;related to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's pre-poll assurance that there are no orders to block the internet, the PTI said that the&nbsp;"flip-flop on internet services during election day is an infuriating betrayal."

"Shutting down phone service is a deliberate suppression of citizens' rights and a mockery of democracy," it added.

Not just PTI but the Pakistan People's Party, which also constituted the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) that succeeded Imran Khan's ousted administration in April 2022, also slammed the suspension of mobile phone services.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;Pakistan Elections 2024: Imran Khan casts his vote from Adiala jail, wife Bushra misses out

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Former PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar described shutting down of mobile services as the "beginning of rigging" on election day.

<h2>What does suspension of mobile services mean for voting?</h2>

The move violates multiple high court rulings since 2018. Security concerns were greater in 2018 and 2013 but no such move was made back then.&nbsp;

"It’s clear, based on the steps they took as soon as the polls opened, that the powers that be remain concerned about the PTI’s possible electoral impact. Especially its turnout potential. The party has been badly weakened and hollowed out, and yet it still has them worried," Michael Kugelman,&nbsp;South Asia Institute Director of The Wilson Centre wrote on X.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-2024-will-imran-khan-bowl-out-army-from-prison-687168">Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison?</a>

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is widely expected to win the elections as the entire electioneering appears to be engineered to favour his return to power.&nbsp;

Pakistan on Thursday (Feb 8) suspended entire country's mobile phone service on election day, citing the "recent surge in terrorist activities". The move has been widely slammed as "beginning of rigging" of the elections with both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leaders coming out to slam the suspension of mobile internet services.

Pakistan on Thursday (Feb 8) suspended entire country's mobile phone service on election day, citing the "recent surge in terrorist activities". The move has been widely slammed as "beginning of rigging" of the elections with both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leaders coming out to slam the suspension of mobile internet services. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) blasted the suspension of mobile phone services, including the Internet, and urged people to remove personal WiFi passwords so that people can access the Internet amid ongoing polling. "Pakistanis, the illegitimate, fascist regime has blocked cell phone services across Pakistan on polling day," former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party wrote on X. "You are all requested to counter this cowardly act by removing passwords from your personal WiFi accounts, so anyone in the vicinity can have access to internet on this extremely important day," it urged the people. While sharing a news piece from Dawn newspaper related to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's pre-poll assurance that there are no orders to block the internet, the PTI said that the "flip-flop on internet services during election day is an infuriating betrayal." "Shutting down phone service is a deliberate suppression of citizens' rights and a mockery of democracy," it added. Not just PTI but the Pakistan People's Party, which also constituted the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) that succeeded Imran Khan's ousted administration in April 2022, also slammed the suspension of mobile phone services. Also watch | Pakistan Elections 2024: Imran Khan casts his vote from Adiala jail, wife Bushra misses out × Former PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar described shutting down of mobile services as the "beginning of rigging" on election day. What does suspension of mobile services mean for voting? The move violates multiple high court rulings since 2018. Security concerns were greater in 2018 and 2013 but no such move was made back then. "It’s clear, based on the steps they took as soon as the polls opened, that the powers that be remain concerned about the PTI’s possible electoral impact. Especially its turnout potential. The party has been badly weakened and hollowed out, and yet it still has them worried," Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute Director of The Wilson Centre wrote on X. Also read | Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison? Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is widely expected to win the elections as the entire electioneering appears to be engineered to favour his return to power.

Pakistan Elections 2024: Digital darkness blinds voting day with Sharif tipped to win

Pakistan Elections 2024: Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other incarcerated leaders of his Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party cast their votes through postal ballot from jail, Pakistani media reported as the polling is underway in the South Asian country on Thursday (February 8).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/who-is-bushra-bibi-the-mystical-wife-of-ex-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-685993">Who is Bushra Bibi, the prayerful wife of ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan?</a>

But Bushra Bibi, Khan's wife, was unable to participate in the voting as she was convicted and arrested after the completion of the postal voting process, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported.

Bushra Bibi, 49, was imprisoned at Khan's Bani Gala residence after an accountability court last week sentenced her along with Imran Khan to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana (gift repository) corruption case.

Mashal Yousafzai, a spokesperson for Bushra Bibi told Pakistani media that&nbsp;the spouse of the former prime minister had been denied casting the vote through a postal ballot.

<h2>Pakistan Elections 2024: Jailed leaders who have cast their ballots</h2>

The leaders who have managed to vote by postal ballot include former foreign minister in Imran Khan's cabinet&nbsp;Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry.

Overall, fewer than 100 prisoners of Adiala Jail were able to vote, constituting only about one per cent of the prison's 7,000 inmates.

As polling are underway in Pakistan, the suspension of mobile internet services has been described as 'mockery of democracy' by the PTI leaders.&nbsp;

In a message, PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said Khan, 71, had dedicated everything, including his life, to that cause.

"As citizens of the country, we have a debt to pay. We must use our vote to change the face of Pakistan by dismantling a rotten system that has cast a vicious stranglehold on the country and its people," he said in a post on X.

Also watch |&nbsp;Pakistan Elections 2024: Imran Khan casts his vote from Adiala jail, wife Bushra misses out

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Khan's party has been stripped of its cricket bat symbol and instead the candidates backed by the PTI are contesting as independents.

The party, however, created a specific website that directs people across Pakistan to the candidates that are backed by the PTI in specific constituencies.

But with mobile internet suspended, people across Pakistan would find it difficult to figure out which candidate in their constituency is backed by the PTI.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-2024-will-imran-khan-bowl-out-army-from-prison-687168">Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison?</a>

Cricketer-turned-politician Khan, who has been in jail since August last year, has recently been given 10, 14 and seven years of imprisonment in cipher, Toshakhana and Iddat (his third 'unlawful' marriage) cases, respectively.

Pakistan's election commission has also rejected Imran Khan's nomination papers and those of other party leaders.

At least one of his party leaders was killed during polling-related violence and in the latest, a key candidate from Lahore was indicted in a terrorism case.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Elections 2024: Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other incarcerated leaders of his Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party cast their votes through postal ballot from jail, Pakistani media reported as the polling is underway in the South Asian country on Thursday (February 8).

Pakistan Elections 2024: Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other incarcerated leaders of his Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party cast their votes through postal ballot from jail, Pakistani media reported as the polling is underway in the South Asian country on Thursday (February 8). Also read | Who is Bushra Bibi, the prayerful wife of ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan? But Bushra Bibi, Khan's wife, was unable to participate in the voting as she was convicted and arrested after the completion of the postal voting process, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported. Bushra Bibi, 49, was imprisoned at Khan's Bani Gala residence after an accountability court last week sentenced her along with Imran Khan to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana (gift repository) corruption case. Mashal Yousafzai, a spokesperson for Bushra Bibi told Pakistani media that the spouse of the former prime minister had been denied casting the vote through a postal ballot. Pakistan Elections 2024: Jailed leaders who have cast their ballots The leaders who have managed to vote by postal ballot include former foreign minister in Imran Khan's cabinet Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry. Overall, fewer than 100 prisoners of Adiala Jail were able to vote, constituting only about one per cent of the prison's 7,000 inmates. As polling are underway in Pakistan, the suspension of mobile internet services has been described as 'mockery of democracy' by the PTI leaders. In a message, PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said Khan, 71, had dedicated everything, including his life, to that cause. "As citizens of the country, we have a debt to pay. We must use our vote to change the face of Pakistan by dismantling a rotten system that has cast a vicious stranglehold on the country and its people," he said in a post on X. Also watch | Pakistan Elections 2024: Imran Khan casts his vote from Adiala jail, wife Bushra misses out × Khan's party has been stripped of its cricket bat symbol and instead the candidates backed by the PTI are contesting as independents. The party, however, created a specific website that directs people across Pakistan to the candidates that are backed by the PTI in specific constituencies. But with mobile internet suspended, people across Pakistan would find it difficult to figure out which candidate in their constituency is backed by the PTI. Also read | Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison? Cricketer-turned-politician Khan, who has been in jail since August last year, has recently been given 10, 14 and seven years of imprisonment in cipher, Toshakhana and Iddat (his third 'unlawful' marriage) cases, respectively. Pakistan's election commission has also rejected Imran Khan's nomination papers and those of other party leaders. At least one of his party leaders was killed during polling-related violence and in the latest, a key candidate from Lahore was indicted in a terrorism case. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Elections 2024: Imran Khan casts postal ballot, wife Bushra denied right to vote

Pakistan Elections 2024: Counting underway, internet services partially restored in some areas

Nine people including six security personnel were killed in militant attacks in Pakistan on Thursday (Feb 8) as the country voted in the general election. Speaking to Reuters, Makran division's Commissioner Saeed Ahmed said that grenade attacks were also reported in different parts of Balochistan, but polling remained unaffected there since there were no casualties.

Nine people including six security personnel were killed in militant attacks in Pakistan on Thursday (Feb 8) as the country voted in the general election. Speaking to Reuters, Makran division's Commissioner Saeed Ahmed said that grenade attacks were also reported in different parts of Balochistan, but polling remained unaffected there since there were no casualties. Click here to follow all updates on Pakistan elections 26 people killed in 2 explosions in Balochistan These attacks came a day after at least 26 people were killed in two explosions near electoral candidates' offices in Balochistan. The Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the explosions. Following the explosions, Pakistan's interior ministry said, "As a result of the recent incidents of terrorism in the country precious lives have been lost, security measures are essential to maintain the law and order situation and deal with possible threats." Also read | Digital darkness blinds voting day with Sharif tipped to win Pak elections In a letter to the country's Election Commission, Mohsin Dawar, a candidate from North Waziristan, said that some polling stations in his constituency were taken over by local Taliban who were threatening polling staff and locals. Mobile services temporarily suspended On election day, mobile services were temporarily suspended across Pakistan. Citizens were seen casting their ballots at polling stations. In this election, the main contenders are candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the last national election, and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) of Nawaz Sharif, who analysts say is being backed by the military, Reuters reported. Also watch | Terror attacks, pre-poll rigging allegations mar Pak polls × Polling closed by 5 pm and unofficial results are expected in a few hours. But, a clearer picture of who won the election is likely to emerge on Friday. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan: Nine killed in militant attacks as country votes in general election

Pakistan Elections 2024: Internet services partially restored as counting gets underway

Pakistan Elections 2024: It's not the first time that India's western neighbour, which came into being in 1947 after a bitter partition on religious lines, is going to polls with an imprisoned former prime minister. As Pakistan goes to polls on February 8, Imran Khan, the South Asian nation's Cricket World Cup-winning captain-turned-politician, is the prisoner number 804 at a jail in Rawalpindi, Islamabad's satellite town that houses Pakistan Army's headquarters.

Khan cast his vote through postal ballot from Adiala jail, minutes after it was reported that mobile phone services including the internet was suspended across Pakistan.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-capitals-islamabads-game-of-thrones-stacked-against-imran-khan-641534">The Capitals: Islamabad's game of thrones stacked against Imran Khan</a>

This Muslim-majority country of 241 million holds a rare distinction as a state where&nbsp;no prime minister has ever finished full term. The elections are widely believed to be 'selections' by the military-intelligence nexus that has long dominated the country's politics and has directly ruled for several decades.&nbsp;

<h2>Imran Khan: Ousted in April 2022, shot in November, 2022</h2>

The former Pakistani prime minister was ousted from power following a parliamentary no-trust-vote in April 2022. His administration was replaced with a coalition government led by Shehbaz Sharif.

That coalition was replaced by an unelected caretaker government in&nbsp;August 2023.

On 3 November 2022, Khan was shot in an assassination attempt in Wazirabad, Punjab, during a political rally. As his falling out with the country's powerful army dominated the political discourse, dozens of cases followed Khan's way.&nbsp;

Then a major moment of reckoning came.&nbsp;

Imran Khan's supporters pulled off a '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/to-coup-or-not-coup-pakistan-armys-options-after-imran-khans-mini-intifada-592986">mini-intifada</a>' in May 2023 against Pakistani military.

It did not take long for a&nbsp;number of high-profile exits from the PTI that rocked the boat of populism Khan was sailing in.

Since August 2023, Khan has been in custody following a conviction in a corruption case, among dozens of cases lodged against him since he was ousted from power after a parliamentary no-trust vote in April 2022.&nbsp;

On August 9, 2023,&nbsp;Pakistan's election commission formally disqualified&nbsp;Khan for five years.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-election-commission-spells-endgame-for-imran-khan-till-2028-623623">Endgame for Imran Khan as Pakistan's election commission bars him from politics till 2028</a>

With just days to go for polling,&nbsp;Pakistan's courts handed down two more sentences to Khan<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68150959">,</a>&nbsp;who was already serving three years in prison.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-arrest-how-isi-angels-rule-pakistan-590710">Imran Khan arrest: How ISI 'angels' rule Pakistan</a>

Even during arrest, Khan deployed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-ex-pm-imran-khan-starts-campaign-from-prison-using-ai-voice-clone-671331">Artificial Intelligence</a>&nbsp;to campaign. But then came Pakistan's election commission's order that stripped his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its election symbol, the cricket bat. Pakistani election commission's order has emerged as a real blow to whatever was left of Khan's prospects in the elections after his fallout with the army.&nbsp;

This is because&nbsp;Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in South Asia, with some of Imran Khan's strongholds in the predominantly tribal Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province particularly backwards in terms of Human Development Indicators. Voters in these tribal areas identify Khan's party primarily with its bat symbol. Given Khan's acclaimed record as one of the finest cricketers Pakistan has ever produced, his party is identified with the cricket bat across Pakistan.&nbsp;

In fact, 'Ballay pe thappa' (Stamp on the Bat) was the defining rallying call for Khan's supporters in 2018 when the PTI chief, then backed by Pakistan's army-intelligence complex, managed to put together a coalition to be in Islamabad's Prime Minister's Office.&nbsp;

The PTI-backed candidates are now contesting elections as independents&nbsp;with their own symbols.

The party has developed a website where voters can put in their constituency and discover their PTI-backed candidate’s symbol.

On the voting day, with internet and mobile phone services suspended, the expectations of Khan's ability to bowl out army from prison have toned down further.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Elections 2024: It's not the first time that India's western neighbour, which came into being in 1947 after a bitter partition on religious lines, is going to polls with an imprisoned former prime minister.

Pakistan Elections 2024: It's not the first time that India's western neighbour, which came into being in 1947 after a bitter partition on religious lines, is going to polls with an imprisoned former prime minister. As Pakistan goes to polls on February 8, Imran Khan, the South Asian nation's Cricket World Cup-winning captain-turned-politician, is the prisoner number 804 at a jail in Rawalpindi, Islamabad's satellite town that houses Pakistan Army's headquarters. Khan cast his vote through postal ballot from Adiala jail, minutes after it was reported that mobile phone services including the internet was suspended across Pakistan. Also read | The Capitals: Islamabad's game of thrones stacked against Imran Khan This Muslim-majority country of 241 million holds a rare distinction as a state where no prime minister has ever finished full term. The elections are widely believed to be 'selections' by the military-intelligence nexus that has long dominated the country's politics and has directly ruled for several decades. Imran Khan: Ousted in April 2022, shot in November, 2022 The former Pakistani prime minister was ousted from power following a parliamentary no-trust-vote in April 2022. His administration was replaced with a coalition government led by Shehbaz Sharif. That coalition was replaced by an unelected caretaker government in August 2023. On 3 November 2022, Khan was shot in an assassination attempt in Wazirabad, Punjab, during a political rally. As his falling out with the country's powerful army dominated the political discourse, dozens of cases followed Khan's way. Then a major moment of reckoning came. Imran Khan's supporters pulled off a 'mini-intifada' in May 2023 against Pakistani military. It did not take long for a number of high-profile exits from the PTI that rocked the boat of populism Khan was sailing in. Since August 2023, Khan has been in custody following a conviction in a corruption case, among dozens of cases lodged against him since he was ousted from power after a parliamentary no-trust vote in April 2022. On August 9, 2023, Pakistan's election commission formally disqualified Khan for five years. Also read | Endgame for Imran Khan as Pakistan's election commission bars him from politics till 2028 With just days to go for polling, Pakistan's courts handed down two more sentences to Khan, who was already serving three years in prison. Also read | Imran Khan arrest: How ISI 'angels' rule Pakistan Even during arrest, Khan deployed Artificial Intelligence to campaign. But then came Pakistan's election commission's order that stripped his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its election symbol, the cricket bat. Pakistani election commission's order has emerged as a real blow to whatever was left of Khan's prospects in the elections after his fallout with the army. This is because Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in South Asia, with some of Imran Khan's strongholds in the predominantly tribal Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province particularly backwards in terms of Human Development Indicators. Voters in these tribal areas identify Khan's party primarily with its bat symbol. Given Khan's acclaimed record as one of the finest cricketers Pakistan has ever produced, his party is identified with the cricket bat across Pakistan. In fact, 'Ballay pe thappa' (Stamp on the Bat) was the defining rallying call for Khan's supporters in 2018 when the PTI chief, then backed by Pakistan's army-intelligence complex, managed to put together a coalition to be in Islamabad's Prime Minister's Office. The PTI-backed candidates are now contesting elections as independents with their own symbols. The party has developed a website where voters can put in their constituency and discover their PTI-backed candidate’s symbol. On the voting day, with internet and mobile phone services suspended, the expectations of Khan's ability to bowl out army from prison have toned down further. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison?

Pakistan votes on Thursday in an election scarred by rising militant attacks, an economic crisis and a deeply polarised political environment. Internet and telecom services have been temporarily suspended to strengthen security.

Pakistan Elections 2024: PPP approaches poll body against suspension of internet services

Millions of Pakistanis vote on Thursday in an election marred by violence that has killed dozens, allegations of pre-poll rigging, and the jailing of the country's most popular politician, Imran Khan.

Pakistan Elections 2024: Terror attacks, pre-poll rigging allegations mars polls

Pakistan Elections 2024: Mobile services suspended across Pakistan for election day

Pakistan votes for high stakes election amid rising militant attacks

With over 120 million registered voters ready to cast their ballot on Feb 8, there are some who won't be allowed to exercise their right. This is a story of a village in Pakistan, holding back it's women voters.

Pakistan Election 2024: A village where women are barred from voting

On the eve of Pakistan's general elections, former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has released a pre-recorded message from the leader to the nation's public.

In the video message released on X, previously known as Twitter, the PTI Chairman urged Pakistanis to "leave their homes and vote tomorrow".

<h2>'For your future'</h2>

Posting the video from Khan's Twitter handle, his team wrote, "Founding Chairman Imran Khan's pre-recorded message for General Elections."

"Make sure you come out and vote in huge numbers tomorrow," it added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-election-commission-cautions-influencers-media-from-doing-anything-to-influence-elections-687625">Pakistan Election Commission cautions social media influencers, media from doing anything to sway elections</a>

In the video, Imran Khan, who is currently behind bars, reminded people that "tomorrow is election day" and said that he wants them to "leave their homes," to go and vote. Asking them to take along the people they know, he says that only through elections they (people) can change their and their children's "mustaqbil"&nbsp;(future).&nbsp;

Watch the video message here:

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Founding Chairman Imran Khan's prerecorded message for General Elections. 
 
Make sure you come out and Vote in huge numbers tomorrow. <a href="https://t.co/vRbo51ZhG2">pic.twitter.com/vRbo51ZhG2</a>
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1755175040528871460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Delay in election results possible</h2>

Imran Khan's message comes as the Pakistan Election Commission on Wednesday (Feb 7th) noted that polling results can be delayed in different constituencies due to security and other reasons.

Geo News quotes ECP project management unit's Director Col (retd.) Saad as saying that "the results can be delayed in different constituencies due to security and other reasons."

Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan releases pre-recorded message

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"We are in contact with all telecom companies and Nepra has assured us that there will be no load shedding tomorrow," he added.

Ahead of the February 8 elections, on Wednesday, two back-to-back blasts in Balochistan claimed the lives of 26 people, while several others were injured. The first attack, as per Dawn newspaper, took place outside the election office of independent candidate Asfandyar Kakar in Pishin. Shortly after the first attack, the second blast was reported in Qila Saifullah.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-balochistan-govt-bans-public-meetings-electoral-gatherings-after-suicide-bomb-threat-686922">Pakistan elections: Balochistan govt bans public meetings, electoral gatherings after ‘suicide bomber’ threat</a>

Following the blasts, as per a Geo News report quoting the provincial health secretary, an emergency has been imposed across hospitals in Quetta for which additional staff has also been called.

(With inputs from agencies)

On the eve of Pakistan's general elections, former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has released a pre-recorded message from the leader to the nation's public.

On the eve of Pakistan's general elections, former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has released a pre-recorded message from the leader to the nation's public. In the video message released on X, previously known as Twitter, the PTI Chairman urged Pakistanis to "leave their homes and vote tomorrow". 'For your future' Posting the video from Khan's Twitter handle, his team wrote, "Founding Chairman Imran Khan's pre-recorded message for General Elections." "Make sure you come out and vote in huge numbers tomorrow," it added. Also read | Pakistan Election Commission cautions social media influencers, media from doing anything to sway elections In the video, Imran Khan, who is currently behind bars, reminded people that "tomorrow is election day" and said that he wants them to "leave their homes," to go and vote. Asking them to take along the people they know, he says that only through elections they (people) can change their and their children's "mustaqbil" (future). Watch the video message here: Founding Chairman Imran Khan's prerecorded message for General Elections. Make sure you come out and Vote in huge numbers tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/vRbo51ZhG2 — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 7, 2024 × Delay in election results possible Imran Khan's message comes as the Pakistan Election Commission on Wednesday (Feb 7th) noted that polling results can be delayed in different constituencies due to security and other reasons. Geo News quotes ECP project management unit's Director Col (retd.) Saad as saying that "the results can be delayed in different constituencies due to security and other reasons." Watch | Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan releases pre-recorded message × "We are in contact with all telecom companies and Nepra has assured us that there will be no load shedding tomorrow," he added. Ahead of the February 8 elections, on Wednesday, two back-to-back blasts in Balochistan claimed the lives of 26 people, while several others were injured. The first attack, as per Dawn newspaper, took place outside the election office of independent candidate Asfandyar Kakar in Pishin. Shortly after the first attack, the second blast was reported in Qila Saifullah. Also read | Pakistan elections: Balochistan govt bans public meetings, electoral gatherings after ‘suicide bomber’ threat Following the blasts, as per a Geo News report quoting the provincial health secretary, an emergency has been imposed across hospitals in Quetta for which additional staff has also been called. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan elections: PTI's Imran Khan urges people to ‘leave homes and vote’ via pre-recorded message

Pakistan Elections 2024: Story of Dhurnal village where women are barred from voting

The caretaker government in Pakistan will consider shutting down the internet connections on the polling day on Thursday only if there is a request from a district or a province, interim Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz said on Tuesday.

“So far, there has been no decision made regarding the suspension of internet services at any place. The caretaker government will consider shutting down the internet connections only if there is a request,” The News International newspaper reported, quoting him as saying.

Ejaz was addressing a press conference along with the caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi.

Ejaz’s announcement is important as just a day earlier, Solangi had turned down the possibility of an internet shutdown on February 8.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-2024-will-imran-khan-bowl-out-army-from-prison-687168">Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison?</a>

“Local administrations have the authority to decide on an internet shutdown in light of the law and order situation, however, no such situation has so far been reported,” Solangi had said on Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, caretaker Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai had announced that the internet service will remain temporarily restricted in the sensitive polling booths in the province on the polling day.

Ejaz, while talking about the law and order situation on Tuesday, said that the government was making efforts to hold peaceful elections without any loss of lives.

“The election atmosphere in Sindh is full of excitement and it does not seem that any political party has enmity with another,” the newspaper quoted Ejaz as saying, and added that he did not see any tension between the candidates in Balochistan during his visit.

The interior minister said that the government will provide security in three layers – police, civil armed forces, and the army. “The commandos will be deployed in Balochistan to respond in the shortest possible time,” he said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/around-70-per-cent-pakistanis-pessimistic-about-their-economy-ahead-of-elections-687542">Around 70 per cent Pakistanis pessimistic about their economy ahead of elections</a>

Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday upheld its stay order under which it had directed the authorities to provide uninterrupted internet service including mobile internet service across the country till the February 8 elections, Geo News reported.

On January 24, the SHC directed the authorities concerned to ensure uninterrupted access to internet services to all citizens till the February 8 elections.

During the hearing of a case today, SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi expressed dismay over the suspension of internet services, saying: “How would the internet work anywhere else when it's not even working for them [judges].”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-this-pakistani-village-women-are-barred-from-voting-by-their-husbands-687502">In this Pakistani village, women are barred from voting by their husbands</a>

“He remarked that it seemed as if the internet would function properly after the elections,” Geo News added.

The high court adjourned the hearing till February 21 as the lawyer for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) failed to appear before the court.

An independent candidate and rights activist Advocate Jibran Nasir had filed the petition in the SHC against the frequent suspension of internet services in the country ahead of the general elections.

The caretaker government in Pakistan will consider shutting down the internet connections on the polling day on Thursday only if there is a request from a district or a province, interim Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz said on Tuesday.

The caretaker government in Pakistan will consider shutting down the internet connections on the polling day on Thursday only if there is a request from a district or a province, interim Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz said on Tuesday. “So far, there has been no decision made regarding the suspension of internet services at any place. The caretaker government will consider shutting down the internet connections only if there is a request,” The News International newspaper reported, quoting him as saying. Ejaz was addressing a press conference along with the caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi. Ejaz’s announcement is important as just a day earlier, Solangi had turned down the possibility of an internet shutdown on February 8. ALSO READ | Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison? “Local administrations have the authority to decide on an internet shutdown in light of the law and order situation, however, no such situation has so far been reported,” Solangi had said on Monday. Earlier on Sunday, caretaker Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai had announced that the internet service will remain temporarily restricted in the sensitive polling booths in the province on the polling day. Ejaz, while talking about the law and order situation on Tuesday, said that the government was making efforts to hold peaceful elections without any loss of lives. “The election atmosphere in Sindh is full of excitement and it does not seem that any political party has enmity with another,” the newspaper quoted Ejaz as saying, and added that he did not see any tension between the candidates in Balochistan during his visit. The interior minister said that the government will provide security in three layers – police, civil armed forces, and the army. “The commandos will be deployed in Balochistan to respond in the shortest possible time,” he said. ALSO READ | Around 70 per cent Pakistanis pessimistic about their economy ahead of elections Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday upheld its stay order under which it had directed the authorities to provide uninterrupted internet service including mobile internet service across the country till the February 8 elections, Geo News reported. On January 24, the SHC directed the authorities concerned to ensure uninterrupted access to internet services to all citizens till the February 8 elections. During the hearing of a case today, SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi expressed dismay over the suspension of internet services, saying: “How would the internet work anywhere else when it's not even working for them [judges].” ALSO READ | In this Pakistani village, women are barred from voting by their husbands “He remarked that it seemed as if the internet would function properly after the elections,” Geo News added. The high court adjourned the hearing till February 21 as the lawyer for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) failed to appear before the court. An independent candidate and rights activist Advocate Jibran Nasir had filed the petition in the SHC against the frequent suspension of internet services in the country ahead of the general elections.

Pakistan elections: Govt to consider internet shut down if requested by any district or province on Feb 8

On Thursday (February 8), 128 million Pakistanis will get to elect their country’s next government, and also the legislatures of the nation’s four provinces. These are Pakistan’s 12th general elections and the country’s latest attempt to deepen democratic roots.

Pakistan Elections 2024: 28 million voters preparing to elect a new government

Pakistan has responded to the remarks made by the United Nations regarding the general elections, saying that the country has finalised the security plans as per its electoral laws. A day earlier, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern over violent incidents ahead of the upcoming general elections set to take place on February 8.

Pakistan responds to UN on violence against candidates ahead of polls

Ahead of the parliamentary elections slated to be held this week in Pakistan, the South Asian nation's election commission has issued a notice to the national media and social media influencers for strict adherence to the code of conduct.

In its notice on Tuesday (Feb 6th), the Election Commission of Pakistan advised the national media to strictly adhere to "ECP's Code of Conduct to ensure ethical journalism and responsible and balanced reporting for a smooth and peaceful conduct of the General Elections."

<h2>No prejudices allowed</h2>

The notice states that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as the regulator must ensure that the national media under its regulatory framework adheres to the code of conduct.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/message-of-preace-to-india-former-pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharif-releases-party-manifesto-684253">Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's party manifesto talks of ‘message of peace’ for India, but conditions apply</a>

It informed the media that the Election Commission's Code of Conduct "forbids the media from reflecting any opinion prejudicial to the ideology, sovereignty, dignity, or security of Pakistan, public order or the integrity and independence of the judiciary of Pakistan and other national institutions."

Furthermore, it forbade the media from "airing or displaying on electronic, digital and social media, any allegations and statements which may harm national solidarity or may create law and order situation during the entire election process, including poll day and after poll."

<h2>Social media influencers cautioned</h2>

The notice also cautioned social media influencers to refrain from actions that may "influence the voters' free choice of casting vote".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-balochistan-govt-bans-public-meetings-electoral-gatherings-after-suicide-bomb-threat-686922">Pakistan elections: Balochistan govt bans public meetings, electoral gatherings after ‘suicide bomber’ threat</a>

"Print &amp; electronic media and any journalist, newspaper, and channel on their official accounts on digital media, and other social media influencers shall refrain from entrance and exit polls or conducting any kind of surveys at any polling station or constituency which may influence the voters' free choice of casting vote or hinder the process&nbsp;in&nbsp;any&nbsp;way," it said.

Furthermore, the notice instructs media to not air any unofficial results at least until "one hour has passed after the close of poll".

(With inputs from agencies)

Ahead of the parliamentary elections slated to be held this week in Pakistan, the South Asian nation's election commission has issued a notice to the national media and social media influencers for strict adherence to the code of conduct.

Ahead of the parliamentary elections slated to be held this week in Pakistan, the South Asian nation's election commission has issued a notice to the national media and social media influencers for strict adherence to the code of conduct. In its notice on Tuesday (Feb 6th), the Election Commission of Pakistan advised the national media to strictly adhere to "ECP's Code of Conduct to ensure ethical journalism and responsible and balanced reporting for a smooth and peaceful conduct of the General Elections." No prejudices allowed The notice states that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as the regulator must ensure that the national media under its regulatory framework adheres to the code of conduct. Also read | Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's party manifesto talks of ‘message of peace’ for India, but conditions apply It informed the media that the Election Commission's Code of Conduct "forbids the media from reflecting any opinion prejudicial to the ideology, sovereignty, dignity, or security of Pakistan, public order or the integrity and independence of the judiciary of Pakistan and other national institutions." Furthermore, it forbade the media from "airing or displaying on electronic, digital and social media, any allegations and statements which may harm national solidarity or may create law and order situation during the entire election process, including poll day and after poll." Social media influencers cautioned The notice also cautioned social media influencers to refrain from actions that may "influence the voters' free choice of casting vote". Also read | Pakistan elections: Balochistan govt bans public meetings, electoral gatherings after ‘suicide bomber’ threat "Print & electronic media and any journalist, newspaper, and channel on their official accounts on digital media, and other social media influencers shall refrain from entrance and exit polls or conducting any kind of surveys at any polling station or constituency which may influence the voters' free choice of casting vote or hinder the process in any way," it said. Furthermore, the notice instructs media to not air any unofficial results at least until "one hour has passed after the close of poll". (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Election Commission cautions social media influencers, media from doing anything to sway elections

The battleground is ready. Pakistan is set to go to polls in just over 24 hours. And before the clock strikes midnight, top leaders are leading mega roadshows in a last-ditch effort to woo the vote bank.

Pakistan's major political parties carry out mega-rally on last day of the campaign

Pakistan: Last leg of campaigning before polls on February 8

A record 70 per cent of voters in Pakistan said ahead of general elections on Thursday (Feb 8) that they are pessimistic about their economy in the coming years,&nbsp;according to a new poll. The survey conducted by the United States-based global analytics and advisory firm Gallup also indicates a general rise in discontent about a multitude of economic, political and security challenges that Pakistan faces.&nbsp;

<h2>About the economy</h2>

The survey conducted in late 2023 showed that Pakistanis were more pessimistic about their economy than at any point in the 18 years that Gallup polled them.&nbsp;

The report published on Tuesday (Feb 6) is based on data collected by Gallup after it conducted face-to-face interviews with a random sample of 1,000 adults aged 15 and older in Pakistan between September and October last year.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-this-pakistani-village-women-are-barred-from-voting-by-their-husbands-687502">In this Pakistani village, women are barred from voting by their husbands</a>

A record-high 70 per cent of people said economic conditions are getting worse and nearly half said it was hard to make ends meet on their present income, according to the report.&nbsp;

The inflation rate in the country had reached 29.7 per cent&nbsp;in December, and in 2023 Pakistani rupee was Asia’s worst-performing currency.&nbsp;

The situation did not change much in the last month as consumer prices rose 28 per cent in January compared to the year before which was by far the highest level of any country in Asia, reported Bloomberg.&nbsp;

According to the Gallup poll, 70 per cent believe that their local economy and around 61 per cent said their personal standard of living was getting worse.&nbsp;

Islamabad has long struggled with a heavy debt load, recently it secured another bailout by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which was Pakistan’s 23rd since it gained independence in 1947. It has also relied on countries like China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for financial support.&nbsp;

“The country of 241 million requires considerable political and economic reform to remedy the structural nature of its fiscal debts,” authors Hashim Pasha and Benedict Vigers wrote in the report published on Tuesday (Feb 6). They added, “For whoever wins the election, reform will be difficult without a popular mandate.”

<h2>70 per cent lack trust in elections</h2>

Around seven in 10 Pakistanis or 70 per cent “lack confidence in the honesty of their elections,” the survey found ahead of the elections describing the political atmosphere ahead of Pakistan’s first general election since 2018 as “glum”.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-2024-will-imran-khan-bowl-out-army-from-prison-687168">Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison?</a>&nbsp;

According to the survey, 88 per cent believe that corruption within their government is widespread which is only two per cent higher than the year before, a record high for the country.&nbsp;

The report also noted that Pakistan’s political landscape has “remained unsettled” since the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022.&nbsp;

<h2>Anti-immigrant sentiment and security situation</h2>

The survey found that Pakistanis have grown hostile toward immigrants last year, with only 37 per cent saying that it was a “good thing,” as opposed to the 53 per cent in 2022.&nbsp;

However, it reportedly seems to be in tandem with the country’s economic and security challenges, including a number of attacks and violence particularly in the Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

A record 70 per cent of voters in Pakistan said ahead of general elections on Thursday (Feb 8) that they are pessimistic about their economy in the coming years, according to a new poll.

A record 70 per cent of voters in Pakistan said ahead of general elections on Thursday (Feb 8) that they are pessimistic about their economy in the coming years, according to a new poll. The survey conducted by the United States-based global analytics and advisory firm Gallup also indicates a general rise in discontent about a multitude of economic, political and security challenges that Pakistan faces. About the economy The survey conducted in late 2023 showed that Pakistanis were more pessimistic about their economy than at any point in the 18 years that Gallup polled them. The report published on Tuesday (Feb 6) is based on data collected by Gallup after it conducted face-to-face interviews with a random sample of 1,000 adults aged 15 and older in Pakistan between September and October last year. ALSO READ | In this Pakistani village, women are barred from voting by their husbands A record-high 70 per cent of people said economic conditions are getting worse and nearly half said it was hard to make ends meet on their present income, according to the report. The inflation rate in the country had reached 29.7 per cent in December, and in 2023 Pakistani rupee was Asia’s worst-performing currency. The situation did not change much in the last month as consumer prices rose 28 per cent in January compared to the year before which was by far the highest level of any country in Asia, reported Bloomberg. According to the Gallup poll, 70 per cent believe that their local economy and around 61 per cent said their personal standard of living was getting worse. Islamabad has long struggled with a heavy debt load, recently it secured another bailout by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which was Pakistan’s 23rd since it gained independence in 1947. It has also relied on countries like China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for financial support. “The country of 241 million requires considerable political and economic reform to remedy the structural nature of its fiscal debts,” authors Hashim Pasha and Benedict Vigers wrote in the report published on Tuesday (Feb 6). They added, “For whoever wins the election, reform will be difficult without a popular mandate.” 70 per cent lack trust in elections Around seven in 10 Pakistanis or 70 per cent “lack confidence in the honesty of their elections,” the survey found ahead of the elections describing the political atmosphere ahead of Pakistan’s first general election since 2018 as “glum”. ALSO READ | Pakistan Elections 2024: Will Imran Khan bowl out army from prison? According to the survey, 88 per cent believe that corruption within their government is widespread which is only two per cent higher than the year before, a record high for the country. The report also noted that Pakistan’s political landscape has “remained unsettled” since the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022. Anti-immigrant sentiment and security situation The survey found that Pakistanis have grown hostile toward immigrants last year, with only 37 per cent saying that it was a “good thing,” as opposed to the 53 per cent in 2022. However, it reportedly seems to be in tandem with the country’s economic and security challenges, including a number of attacks and violence particularly in the Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan. (With inputs from agencies)

Around 70 per cent Pakistanis pessimistic about their economy ahead of elections

Pakistan village disallows its women to vote in elections

In Pakistan, nearly 128.5 million people have been registered as voters for the general elections which will be held on February 8, as per the latest data.&nbsp;

This number of people registered as voters constitutes nearly half of its population.&nbsp;

As per reports, women in some regions of Pakistan are barred from voting even though the country has the fifth-highest number of registered voters globally, with only India, Indonesia, the United States, and Brazil leading ahead.&nbsp;

The 60-year-old former headmistress Naeem Kausir as well as her seven daughters, six of whom have already been to college, are not allowed to vote by their family's male elders, just like other women in her town.

"Whether by her husband, father, son or brother, a woman is forced. She lacks the autonomy to make decisions independently," said Kausir, who was covering her face using a veil.&nbsp;

"These men lack the courage to grant women their rights," said the widow, while speaking to AFP.

Even though voting is a constitutional right for all adults present in Pakistan, a patriarchal system is still dominant in some rural areas of the socially conservative country as the male village elders wield significant influence on their communities.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-isi-agent-working-at-indian-embassy-in-moscow-arrested-from-meerut-686836">Indian Embassy employee in Moscow arrested for spying, links to Pakistan’s ISI</a>

In Dhurnal, a village in Punjab which is home to thousands of people, men give different reasons for the ban on voting for more than 50 years.

"Several years ago, during a period of low literacy rates, a council chairman decreed that if men went out to vote, and women followed suit, who would manage the household and childcare responsibilities," said Malik Muhammad, the village council's member.

"This disruption, just for one vote, was deemed unnecessary," he added.&nbsp;

Shopkeeper Muhammad Aslam has claimed that the ban has been protecting women from "local hostilities" regarding politics. Meanwhile, while speaking to AFP it was simply down to "tradition".

<h2>Election Commission says it has authority to declare process null and void</h2>

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has emphasised that it carries the authority to declare a process null and void in any constituency where women are being stopped from voting.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Pakistan gears up for polls | WION visits Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province ahead of polls

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-gears-up-for-polls-wion-visits-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-province-ahead-of-polls-687397/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the country's hinterland, progress has been slow outside of cities and in areas which operate under tribal norms, as millions of women still remain uncounted on the electoral rolls.

In Dhurnal, the elders rely on neighbouring villages to fill a government-imposed quota, as per which 10 per cent of votes cast in every constituency should be by women.

Those who are permitted to vote are often pressured to choose a candidate of a male relative's choice.

(With inputs from agencies)

In Pakistan, nearly 128.5 million people have been registered as voters for the general elections which will be held on February 8, as per the latest data. This number of people registered as voters constitutes nearly half of its population.

In Pakistan, nearly 128.5 million people have been registered as voters for the general elections which will be held on February 8, as per the latest data. This number of people registered as voters constitutes nearly half of its population. As per reports, women in some regions of Pakistan are barred from voting even though the country has the fifth-highest number of registered voters globally, with only India, Indonesia, the United States, and Brazil leading ahead. The 60-year-old former headmistress Naeem Kausir as well as her seven daughters, six of whom have already been to college, are not allowed to vote by their family's male elders, just like other women in her town. "Whether by her husband, father, son or brother, a woman is forced. She lacks the autonomy to make decisions independently," said Kausir, who was covering her face using a veil. "These men lack the courage to grant women their rights," said the widow, while speaking to AFP. Even though voting is a constitutional right for all adults present in Pakistan, a patriarchal system is still dominant in some rural areas of the socially conservative country as the male village elders wield significant influence on their communities. Also read: Indian Embassy employee in Moscow arrested for spying, links to Pakistan’s ISI In Dhurnal, a village in Punjab which is home to thousands of people, men give different reasons for the ban on voting for more than 50 years. "Several years ago, during a period of low literacy rates, a council chairman decreed that if men went out to vote, and women followed suit, who would manage the household and childcare responsibilities," said Malik Muhammad, the village council's member. "This disruption, just for one vote, was deemed unnecessary," he added. Shopkeeper Muhammad Aslam has claimed that the ban has been protecting women from "local hostilities" regarding politics. Meanwhile, while speaking to AFP it was simply down to "tradition". Election Commission says it has authority to declare process null and void The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has emphasised that it carries the authority to declare a process null and void in any constituency where women are being stopped from voting. Watch: Pakistan gears up for polls | WION visits Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province ahead of polls In the country's hinterland, progress has been slow outside of cities and in areas which operate under tribal norms, as millions of women still remain uncounted on the electoral rolls. In Dhurnal, the elders rely on neighbouring villages to fill a government-imposed quota, as per which 10 per cent of votes cast in every constituency should be by women. Those who are permitted to vote are often pressured to choose a candidate of a male relative's choice. (With inputs from agencies)

In this Pakistani village, women are barred from voting by their husbands

In the upcoming Pakistan elections, women are breaking the age-old tradition. Major political parties have fielded various women as their candidates in different constituencies. WION tells you more in this report about women candidates in Pakistan's general election 2024.

Pakistan Elections 2024: Women candidates all set to contest polls

As Pakistan gears up for its general elections scheduled to take place on February 8, the government of Balochistan has implemented a ban on public meetings and election gatherings after a threat alert with the “potential involvement of a female suicide bomber.” The ban comes days after the province was rattled by at least 10 bomb and grenade attacks.&nbsp;

<h2>About the ban</h2>

In a statement, Jan Achakzai, Balochistan’s Minister of Information and Public Relations said that the ban was imposed following a bomb threat and urged all political parties and candidates to hold meetings indoors to “minimise the risk”.&nbsp;

“The govt of Balochistan has implemented a ban on public meetings and election gatherings in Quetta, in response to a threat alert regarding the potential involvement of a female suicide bomber,” said Achakzai in a post on X.&nbsp;

He added, “All political parties and candidates have been urged to conduct their meetings indoors to minimise the risk. The GOB places great importance on public safety, while also recognising the necessity of election campaigns.”&nbsp;

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The statement also comes amid a series of bomb blasts that Pakistan has witnessed over the past couple of months as well as days ahead of the general elections.&nbsp;

<h2>Blasts and threats across Pakistan</h2>

The upcoming February 8 general elections in Pakistan have been marred by violence. Balochistan witnessed at least 10 bomb and grenade attacks on Thursday (Feb 1) that also claimed the life of one person.&nbsp;

The bombs were said to be placed along a footpath on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) road in the Spinny area of Quetta, reported news agency PTI citing Quetta SSP (operations) Jawad Tariq.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in the Pakistani province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, several prominent political figures have been given threats. The law enforcement agencies in the country have also been grappling with acts of terrorism and violence across Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan ahead of the elections.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-2024-blast-rocks-election-commissions-office-in-karachi-686507">Pakistan Elections 2024: Blast rocks Election Commission's office in Karachi</a>

On Friday (Feb 2), at least six people&nbsp;were injured in multiple hand grenade attacks in different towns across Balochistan.&nbsp;

On the same day, a low-intensity explosion was reported near the Provincial Election Commission (PEC) office in Pakistan’s city of Karachi’s Saddar area.&nbsp;

Around 18,000 candidates are contesting for the upcoming National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies, reported PTI.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

As Pakistan gears up for its general elections scheduled to take place on February 8, the government of Balochistan has implemented a ban on public meetings and election gatherings after a threat alert with the “potential involvement of a female suicide bomber.

As Pakistan gears up for its general elections scheduled to take place on February 8, the government of Balochistan has implemented a ban on public meetings and election gatherings after a threat alert with the “potential involvement of a female suicide bomber.” The ban comes days after the province was rattled by at least 10 bomb and grenade attacks. About the ban In a statement, Jan Achakzai, Balochistan’s Minister of Information and Public Relations said that the ban was imposed following a bomb threat and urged all political parties and candidates to hold meetings indoors to “minimise the risk”. “The govt of Balochistan has implemented a ban on public meetings and election gatherings in Quetta, in response to a threat alert regarding the potential involvement of a female suicide bomber,” said Achakzai in a post on X. He added, “All political parties and candidates have been urged to conduct their meetings indoors to minimise the risk. The GOB places great importance on public safety, while also recognising the necessity of election campaigns.” ALSO READ | Pakistan: Blast during PTI rally kills at least four people in Balochistan's Sibi The statement also comes amid a series of bomb blasts that Pakistan has witnessed over the past couple of months as well as days ahead of the general elections. Blasts and threats across Pakistan The upcoming February 8 general elections in Pakistan have been marred by violence. Balochistan witnessed at least 10 bomb and grenade attacks on Thursday (Feb 1) that also claimed the life of one person. The bombs were said to be placed along a footpath on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) road in the Spinny area of Quetta, reported news agency PTI citing Quetta SSP (operations) Jawad Tariq. Meanwhile, in the Pakistani province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, several prominent political figures have been given threats. The law enforcement agencies in the country have also been grappling with acts of terrorism and violence across Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan ahead of the elections. ALSO READ | Pakistan Elections 2024: Blast rocks Election Commission's office in Karachi On Friday (Feb 2), at least six people were injured in multiple hand grenade attacks in different towns across Balochistan. On the same day, a low-intensity explosion was reported near the Provincial Election Commission (PEC) office in Pakistan’s city of Karachi’s Saddar area. Around 18,000 candidates are contesting for the upcoming National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies, reported PTI. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan elections: Balochistan govt bans public meetings, electoral gatherings after ‘suicide bomber’ threat

If you are reading The Capitals on your smartphone, chances are that you just surfed through a Meta offshoot&nbsp;— WhatsApp, Instagram or the Nokia-sounding people connector, the Facebook. One of the three, if not all, are likely to be your eye to view the world, through the lens of&nbsp;internet.&nbsp;

This week, Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook — which has now extended into a Metaverse in its own right — turned twenty.&nbsp;

But the beginning of twenty-first year of Facebook did not seem like 'connecting people' as Zuckerberg faced a rare scrutiny in the US capital. "You have blood on your hands," he was told by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

Elsewhere in the world, the United States targeted sites linked to Iran-linked groups in Iraq and Syria, prompting strong reactions from Baghdad and Damascus.

In Europe, farmers rolled on their tractors in and around&nbsp;multiple capitals&nbsp;against increasing farming costs and high taxes.

While in the Germany's capital, scores of people led the demonstrations against resurgence of far-right 'alternatives' in the country.&nbsp;

In the Asian capitals, New Delhi emphasised on India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor as an 'economic and strategic game changer'. Filipinos rejoiced as the southeast Asian country reported region's fastest expansion in Manila.&nbsp;

Beijing played the Devil's Advocate and repeated that Taliban-run Kabul 'should not be excluded' from the international community.&nbsp;

Read this and more, in The Capitals, this weekend.&nbsp;

<h2>Washington DC, United States</h2>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/02/01/409225-untitled-design-30.png?imwidth=500" />

Meta's CEO Mark&nbsp;Zuckerberg&nbsp;reacts as he testifies during the&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;Judiciary Committee&nbsp;hearing&nbsp;on online child sexual exploitation at the U.S. Capitol | Reuters

Right before Facebook's 20th anniversary, social media platform's co-founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced harshest criticism till date at a hearing before the US Senate in Washington DC on January 31. &nbsp;

The subject of the hearing was the failure of top internet platforms to protect children and vulnerable youngsters. Democrat Dick Durbin, the chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed it all in a nutshell.

"Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety have all put our kids and grandkids at risk," he said.

While turning towards families&nbsp;whose younger members reportedly gave in to self-harm through a Meta application,&nbsp;Zuckerberg said, "I'm sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer."&nbsp;

While Facebook started out so harmlessly during the early days of the digital revolution, it has now become a network with far-reaching consequences. Remember the Arab Spring of early 2010s — which because of Facebook's role in galvanising demonstrations and resistance, also came to be known as 'Facebook Revolution'?&nbsp;

But between the proliferation of wildest possible conspiracy theories that led to vaccination hesitancy at the peak of Covid to Donald Trump's propagation of the 'stolen' 2020 US presidential election, the 'free-speech'&nbsp;debate on Facebook remains open-ended whose opening remains nothing short of a double-edged sword.&nbsp;

<h2>Baghdad, Iraq</h2>

The United States hit three militant facilities in Iraq (and four in neighbouring Syria) in retaliation to the killing of three US troops in Jordan. Baghdad described it as violation of its sovereignty and summoned the US envoy in the Iraqi capital.&nbsp;

"In this incident, multiple American aircraft bombed locations in the Akashat and Al-Qa'im regions, including areas where our security forces are stationed, alongside nearby civilian areas," Iraq's Prime Minister's Office said in an official statement.

<img alt="The US strikes targeted sites in Iraq's Akashat and Qa'im region | Google Maps" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202024-02-03T164143.679.png" />

The US strikes targeted sites in Iraq's Akashat and Qa'im region | Google Maps

Baghdad accused Washington of engaging in 'deception'. It said that&nbsp;"the American side intentionally engaged in deception and distortion of facts, stating coordination with Iraqi authorities for the perpetration of this aggression".&nbsp;

Civilians were among 16 people killed in the US strikes in Iraq, authorities claimed.

<h2>Berlin, Germany 
 
<img alt="Berlin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa6734d7-6292-46d2-87dc-271675b2ef6a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202024-02-04T160212.476.png" /></h2>

&nbsp;A person holds a banner as people gather outside the Reichstag building, during a rally of the broad alliance "Hand in Hand" under the slogan "Wir sind die Brandmauer" ("We are the Firewall") to protest against right-wing extremism and for the protection of democracy, in Berlin, Germany February 3, 2024. The banner reads: "Against Nazis" | Reuters

Nearly 200,000 people took to streets across multiple German cities, most of them in the capital Berlin amid nationwide protests against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

A Reuters tally showed&nbsp;150,000 people flocking close to the Reichstag parliament building in Berlin, where protesters gathered under the slogan "We are the Firewall" to protest against right-wing extremism.

The protests followed a report last month that two senior AfD members had attended a meeting to discuss purported plans for the mass deportation of citizens of foreign origin, a claim the far-right party denies.

<h2>New Delhi, India</h2>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/02/01/409316-untitled-design-2024-02-01t130530250.png?imwidth=500" />

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha, Indian parliament's lower house,&nbsp;on Feb 1, 2024 | Sansad TV&nbsp;

India's&nbsp;Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman described the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) forged at the sidelines of&nbsp;New Delhi G20 Leaders' Summit as a "strategic and economic game changer". Amid ongoing challenges posed by Israel-Hamas war, the connectivity project aims to facilitate the flow of commerce, energy and data to, from and between India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and Europe.

Sitharaman's remarks came a day after India's President Droupadi Murmu, in her ceremonial address to the parliament ahead of India's budget session,&nbsp;hailed the IMEC as an ambitious connectivity initiative.

<img alt="India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IMEC.png" />

India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor | WION

While much of the western world portrays IMEC as a project whose feasibility faces a permanent fissure due to conflicts in West Asia, New Delhi made it clear that the transcontinental connectivity project remains one of top priorities of its foreign policy.&nbsp;

<h2>Beijing, China</h2>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/01/31/409091-comrademullah.png?imwidth=500" />

Chinese leader Xi Jinping with Bilal Karimi, Taliban-run Afghanistan government's ambassador to China | X/@QaharBalkhi

'Comrades and Mullahs'&nbsp;is not just the title of a bestseller book on Taliban-Beijing ties. It's also a clearer geopolitical reality in South Asia amid shows of&nbsp;proximity between Taliban and Communist Party regimes based out of Kabul and&nbsp;Beijing respectively.

Chinese top leader Xi Jinping <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/xi-jinping-welcomes-taliban-ambassador-to-china-as-kabul-beijing-ties-move-forward-685428">accepted</a> the credentials of the envoy of Taliban-run Afghanistan in Beijing in a major formalisation of the regime partly constituted by the UN-designated terrorists.&nbsp;

Beijing's move is a reciprocation of the Taliban's step in September 2023 when it welcomed Zhao Sheng as Chinese ambassador in Kabul.&nbsp;

But before the event, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson made it clear that China believes&nbsp;that "Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community,"&nbsp;

<h2>Islamabad, Pakistan</h2>

The Pakistani capital will be the capital of interest this week ahead of South Asian country's national elections in the forthcoming week. The political parties have released their manifestos. The numbers are expected to set in from votes across the country but the verdict appears to be out of Rawalpindi&nbsp;— Islamabad's satellite town that houses Pakistan Army's headquarters&nbsp;— already.&nbsp;

The Capitals reported in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-capitals-islamabads-game-of-thrones-stacked-against-imran-khan-641534">October</a> that&nbsp;Islamabad's game of thrones is stacked against country's ousted leader Imran Khan. Since then, Khan remains imprisoned in a corruption case. And this week, Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced in two other cases. The Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is contesting elections without Khan's 'Cricket Bat' and analysts are widely expecting the re-establishment of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad's corridors of power this time again. No&nbsp;balley pe thappa (Stamp on Bat)&nbsp;this time — quite literally.&nbsp;

That's all for the capitals this week. See you next weekend.&nbsp;

If you are reading The Capitals on your smartphone, chances are that you just surfed through a Meta offshoot — WhatsApp, Instagram or the Nokia-sounding people connector, the Facebook.

If you are reading The Capitals on your smartphone, chances are that you just surfed through a Meta offshoot — WhatsApp, Instagram or the Nokia-sounding people connector, the Facebook. One of the three, if not all, are likely to be your eye to view the world, through the lens of internet. This week, Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook — which has now extended into a Metaverse in its own right — turned twenty. But the beginning of twenty-first year of Facebook did not seem like 'connecting people' as Zuckerberg faced a rare scrutiny in the US capital. "You have blood on your hands," he was told by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Elsewhere in the world, the United States targeted sites linked to Iran-linked groups in Iraq and Syria, prompting strong reactions from Baghdad and Damascus. In Europe, farmers rolled on their tractors in and around multiple capitals against increasing farming costs and high taxes. While in the Germany's capital, scores of people led the demonstrations against resurgence of far-right 'alternatives' in the country. In the Asian capitals, New Delhi emphasised on India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor as an 'economic and strategic game changer'. Filipinos rejoiced as the southeast Asian country reported region's fastest expansion in Manila. Beijing played the Devil's Advocate and repeated that Taliban-run Kabul 'should not be excluded' from the international community. Read this and more, in The Capitals, this weekend. Washington DC, United States Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg reacts as he testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the U.S. Capitol | Reuters Right before Facebook's 20th anniversary, social media platform's co-founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced harshest criticism till date at a hearing before the US Senate in Washington DC on January 31. The subject of the hearing was the failure of top internet platforms to protect children and vulnerable youngsters. Democrat Dick Durbin, the chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed it all in a nutshell. "Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety have all put our kids and grandkids at risk," he said. While turning towards families whose younger members reportedly gave in to self-harm through a Meta application, Zuckerberg said, "I'm sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer." While Facebook started out so harmlessly during the early days of the digital revolution, it has now become a network with far-reaching consequences. Remember the Arab Spring of early 2010s — which because of Facebook's role in galvanising demonstrations and resistance, also came to be known as 'Facebook Revolution'? But between the proliferation of wildest possible conspiracy theories that led to vaccination hesitancy at the peak of Covid to Donald Trump's propagation of the 'stolen' 2020 US presidential election, the 'free-speech' debate on Facebook remains open-ended whose opening remains nothing short of a double-edged sword. Baghdad, Iraq The United States hit three militant facilities in Iraq (and four in neighbouring Syria) in retaliation to the killing of three US troops in Jordan. Baghdad described it as violation of its sovereignty and summoned the US envoy in the Iraqi capital. "In this incident, multiple American aircraft bombed locations in the Akashat and Al-Qa'im regions, including areas where our security forces are stationed, alongside nearby civilian areas," Iraq's Prime Minister's Office said in an official statement. The US strikes targeted sites in Iraq's Akashat and Qa'im region | Google Maps Baghdad accused Washington of engaging in 'deception'. It said that "the American side intentionally engaged in deception and distortion of facts, stating coordination with Iraqi authorities for the perpetration of this aggression". Civilians were among 16 people killed in the US strikes in Iraq, authorities claimed. Berlin, Germany A person holds a banner as people gather outside the Reichstag building, during a rally of the broad alliance "Hand in Hand" under the slogan "Wir sind die Brandmauer" ("We are the Firewall") to protest against right-wing extremism and for the protection of democracy, in Berlin, Germany February 3, 2024. The banner reads: "Against Nazis" | Reuters Nearly 200,000 people took to streets across multiple German cities, most of them in the capital Berlin amid nationwide protests against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. A Reuters tally showed 150,000 people flocking close to the Reichstag parliament building in Berlin, where protesters gathered under the slogan "We are the Firewall" to protest against right-wing extremism. The protests followed a report last month that two senior AfD members had attended a meeting to discuss purported plans for the mass deportation of citizens of foreign origin, a claim the far-right party denies. New Delhi, India Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha, Indian parliament's lower house, on Feb 1, 2024 | Sansad TV India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman described the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) forged at the sidelines of New Delhi G20 Leaders' Summit as a "strategic and economic game changer". Amid ongoing challenges posed by Israel-Hamas war, the connectivity project aims to facilitate the flow of commerce, energy and data to, from and between India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and Europe. Sitharaman's remarks came a day after India's President Droupadi Murmu, in her ceremonial address to the parliament ahead of India's budget session, hailed the IMEC as an ambitious connectivity initiative. India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor | WION While much of the western world portrays IMEC as a project whose feasibility faces a permanent fissure due to conflicts in West Asia, New Delhi made it clear that the transcontinental connectivity project remains one of top priorities of its foreign policy. Beijing, China Chinese leader Xi Jinping with Bilal Karimi, Taliban-run Afghanistan government's ambassador to China | X/@QaharBalkhi 'Comrades and Mullahs' is not just the title of a bestseller book on Taliban-Beijing ties. It's also a clearer geopolitical reality in South Asia amid shows of proximity between Taliban and Communist Party regimes based out of Kabul and Beijing respectively. Chinese top leader Xi Jinping accepted the credentials of the envoy of Taliban-run Afghanistan in Beijing in a major formalisation of the regime partly constituted by the UN-designated terrorists. Beijing's move is a reciprocation of the Taliban's step in September 2023 when it welcomed Zhao Sheng as Chinese ambassador in Kabul. But before the event, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson made it clear that China believes that "Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community," Islamabad, Pakistan The Pakistani capital will be the capital of interest this week ahead of South Asian country's national elections in the forthcoming week. The political parties have released their manifestos. The numbers are expected to set in from votes across the country but the verdict appears to be out of Rawalpindi — Islamabad's satellite town that houses Pakistan Army's headquarters — already. The Capitals reported in October that Islamabad's game of thrones is stacked against country's ousted leader Imran Khan. Since then, Khan remains imprisoned in a corruption case. And this week, Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced in two other cases. The Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is contesting elections without Khan's 'Cricket Bat' and analysts are widely expecting the re-establishment of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad's corridors of power this time again. No balley pe thappa (Stamp on Bat) this time — quite literally. That's all for the capitals this week. See you next weekend.

The Capitals: Washington gets Zuckerberg's 'sorry' side; Islamabad without 'bat'; and more

Pakistan Elections 2024: Ahead of the February 8 voting in the South Asia nation, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Barrister Gohar Khan unveiled former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party's manifesto on Sunday (Jan 28).&nbsp;

During a news conference in Islamabad, Gohar Khan presented the PTI's manifesto titled, "Shandaar Pakistan, Shandaar Mustaqbil aur Kharaab Maazi sey chutkara" (Splendid Pakistan, Splendid Future, and Liberation from a Troubled Past).&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-imran-khans-election-nomination-rejected-from-two-constituencies-675068">Pakistan: Imran Khan’s election nomination rejected from two constituencies</a>

Gohar Khan mentioned that some party leaders involved in drafting the manifesto could not attend the press conference while referring to the arrests of the PTI leaders.&nbsp;

Highlighting the challenges faced by PTI-backed candidates, Gohar Khan asserted that officials were obstructing their path to office.&nbsp;

<h2>PTI promises 'truth and reconciliation commission'</h2>

The party's manifesto focused on social and constitutional improvements, with a commitment to address injustices through the establishment of a 'truth and reconciliation commission', Pakistani media reported.

Addressing economic matters, Gohar Khan pledged to raise the tax bracket and implement changes to the tax system. In a bid to support farmers, he announced subsidies to help them recover from economic challenges.

<h2>Karachi: 20 PTI workers arrested</h2>

Meanwhile, the Karachi police on Sunday arrested around 20 workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The incident unfolded when all the major political parties in Pakistan were organising rallies throughout the country, Dawn reported.

Also watch |&nbsp;Pakistan Elections: Nawaz Sharif unveils party manifesto

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In a post on the social media platform 'X', PTI shared several videos showing party workers being dragged by police personnel during the political rally.

"Police are arresting peaceful people at (sic) Karachi during PTI's rally. These are visuals of free and fair elections," the party said in a post.

On the opposing front, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif presented his party's election manifesto on Saturday. Speaking at an event in Lahore, Sharif underscored the significance of Pakistan's economy as a central component of the manifesto.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Elections 2024: Ahead of the February 8 voting in the South Asia nation, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Barrister Gohar Khan unveiled former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party's manifesto on Sunday (Jan 28).

Pakistan Elections 2024: Ahead of the February 8 voting in the South Asia nation, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Barrister Gohar Khan unveiled former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party's manifesto on Sunday (Jan 28). During a news conference in Islamabad, Gohar Khan presented the PTI's manifesto titled, "Shandaar Pakistan, Shandaar Mustaqbil aur Kharaab Maazi sey chutkara" (Splendid Pakistan, Splendid Future, and Liberation from a Troubled Past). Also read | Pakistan: Imran Khan’s election nomination rejected from two constituencies Gohar Khan mentioned that some party leaders involved in drafting the manifesto could not attend the press conference while referring to the arrests of the PTI leaders. Highlighting the challenges faced by PTI-backed candidates, Gohar Khan asserted that officials were obstructing their path to office. PTI promises 'truth and reconciliation commission' The party's manifesto focused on social and constitutional improvements, with a commitment to address injustices through the establishment of a 'truth and reconciliation commission', Pakistani media reported. Addressing economic matters, Gohar Khan pledged to raise the tax bracket and implement changes to the tax system. In a bid to support farmers, he announced subsidies to help them recover from economic challenges. Karachi: 20 PTI workers arrested Meanwhile, the Karachi police on Sunday arrested around 20 workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The incident unfolded when all the major political parties in Pakistan were organising rallies throughout the country, Dawn reported. Also watch | Pakistan Elections: Nawaz Sharif unveils party manifesto × In a post on the social media platform 'X', PTI shared several videos showing party workers being dragged by police personnel during the political rally. "Police are arresting peaceful people at (sic) Karachi during PTI's rally. These are visuals of free and fair elections," the party said in a post. On the opposing front, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif presented his party's election manifesto on Saturday. Speaking at an event in Lahore, Sharif underscored the significance of Pakistan's economy as a central component of the manifesto. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Elections 2024: Imran Khan's PTI promises 'liberation from a troubled past'

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