KARACHI: Pakistan’s much-awaited General Elections came to a conclusion amidst the allegations of rigging and mobile and internet outages. The voting process was supposed to begin at 8AM in the morning, but according to news reports from various media houses, the process did not start till 3PM in some stations.
The process came to an end at 5PM sharp. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan made exceptions for those who were already inside the polling stations.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, despite its claim yesterday suspended the mobile networks and internet in many areas of the country. Many people across the country accused the caretaker government of underhanded practices.
“I live in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block-10 and have never set a foot in Malir and yet my address has been changes to Malir. My entire family is on its way to cast their votes,” said one party worker at a booth camp.
Pakistan went to General Elections after what has been a tumultuous political two years for the country. Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Imran Khan remains incarcerated in several cases and casted his vote yesterday. Meanwhile the Pakistan People’s Party leaders Bilawal Bhutto, Asif Zardari and leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif casted their votes earlier today.
It is also pertinent to mention here that women from several polling stations have outnumbered men.