As Pakistan commenced its general elections to elect a new government, speculation is rife that Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) may emerge as the largest party, especially with former Prime Minister Imran Khan incarcerated. The polling stations opened at 8.00 a.m. and will remain operational until 5.00 p.m., with a countrywide public holiday declared to facilitate the 128,588,760 registered voters.
Security measures are stringent, with nearly 650,000 security personnel deployed across the nation to ensure a smooth voting process at 90,000 polling stations. Despite the suspension of mobile services due to security concerns, citizens are turning out to exercise their franchise. Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N, backed by the military, is expected to pose a significant challenge to Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is contesting independently after losing its election symbol.
The outcome of these elections will significantly impact the future direction of Pakistan, given its economic challenges and security threats from various militant groups.