Islamabad, Pakistan
CNN
—
Vote counting in Pakistan’s general election has been hit by unexpected delays after millions cast their ballot in a race in which old dynasties are vying for power while the country’s widely popular former leader languishes behind bars.
No results had been announced as of early Friday morning, more than 12 hours after polls closed. Pakistan’s Election Commission on Friday said it had given “instructions to ensure immediate declaration of results.”
The much-anticipated vote, already delayed for months, comes as the country of 220 million faces mounting challenges – from economic uncertainty and frequent militant attacks, to climate catastrophes that are putting its most vulnerable at risk.
Police in Pakistan’s capital announced a ban on gatherings as vote counting continued. Islamabad police imposed Section 144 in the city, which prohibits gatherings of more than four people. “Respect for the law is mandatory for everyone. Legal action will be taken in case of any disturbance,” the police force wrote in a post on X on Friday.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate for prime minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said late Thursday that “initial results are very encouraging.”
“PPP candidates and independents whom we have supported/engaged with seem to be doing well! Let’s see what the final tally is in the end,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The party of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier accused authorities of delaying results in an attempt to rig the vote, accusations they have denied.
“This is the second half of counting & the point when manipulation takes place,” Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said in a statement Thursday, adding it was “clearly leading” in 114 constituencies across the country.
Pakistan’s National Assembly consists of 336 seats, of which, 266 are decided through direct voting on polling day.
The chaos comes after Pakistani authorities suspended mobile internet services for more than 12 hours on the directives of the Interior Ministry. Violence also marred several districts across the country in the lead up to the vote.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres called for a “calm atmosphere” as votes continued to be counted.
“The Secretary-General continues to follow the situation in Pakistan closely…He notes with concern reports of incidents of violence and casualties, and the suspension of mobile communications services,” a statement issued by the UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson said.
Gutteres “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,” the statement added.
In a vivid illustration of the surging political violence in the run up to the vote, 30 people were killed in twin blasts targeting campaign offices in the country’s restive Balochistan province on Wednesday, which the Islamic State Pakistan Province militant group claimed responsibility for.
Rebecca Conway/Getty Images
Voters cast their ballots at a polling station during the general election on February 8 in Bhasin.
The Pakistan Armed Forces said 51 terrorist attacks took place in the country throughout the election season, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, but “many potential threats were neutralized.”
Pakistan had been on high alert due to concerns regarding security on election day, with 650,000 security personnel deployed nationwide to ensure the safety of voters, according to the country’s information ministry. Military personnel and civil armed forces were deployed at “approximately 6,000 selected most sensitive polling stations,” according to the Pakistan Armed Forces.
And Mohsin Dawar, a former member of the Pakistani National Assembly, said Taliban militants had taken over polling stations in…
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