Pakistan's 2024 Elections: A Crossroads Amidst Crisis

The polling time has ended in the general elections across the country, the doors of all the polling stations were closed at the appointed time at five o'clock while the voters inside the polling station were allowed to cast their votes. The Election Commission had announced that the voting No proposal for extension is under consideration, voting time is 5 pmIt has been maintained till 10 pm.

After the polling time was over, the counting process started in all the polling stations. According to the Election Commission officials, the unofficial and unofficial results can be broadcasted after 6 pm. The polling process across the country remained peaceful.

Although it was believed that this would be the most controversial election in history, however, No major tragic incidents were reported from any corner of the country.

Here the detail released by ECP

According to the details released by the Election Commission, it shows that 17 thousand 816 candidates are participating in the elections. 5 thousand 121 candidates are participating in the National Assembly seats. 12 thousand 695 candidates will contest for the seats of provincial assemblies.

EC said that 11 thousand 785 independent candidates are participating in the National and Provincial Assembly seats. 3 thousand 748 independent candidates and 1873 candidates of political parties will win the National Assembly seats.

8 thousand 537 independent candidates and 4 thousand 158 candidates of political parties will compete for the provincial assembly seats. 882 women candidates are also in the fray for the National and Provincial Assembly seats.

The Election Commission said that 312 women candidates for National Assembly seats and 570 women candidates for Provincial Assembly seats will participate in the elections. Eunuchs are also participating in the elections in 4 seats across the country.

There are a total of 6,031 political party candidates for the National and Provincial Assemblies. Almost twice as many independent candidates are participating as political parties.

There will be 6 thousand 710 candidates in Punjab Assembly seats, 2 thousand 878 candidates in Sindh Assembly seats.

1834 candidates in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly seats and 1273 candidates in Balochistan Assembly seats will try their luck.

1834 candidates will be in the fray for the general seats of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. There are 1763 male, 69 female and 2 transgender candidates on the general seats of KPK Assembly.

1273 candidates will contest the general seats of Balochistan Assembly. 1233 male and 40 female candidates will join the race for the general seats of Balochistan Assembly.

A total of 12695 candidates will contest the general seats of the four provincial assemblies. 6 thousand 710 candidates will contest on the general seats of Punjab Assembly. There are 6405 men and 305 women in the race for the general seats of the Punjab Assembly.

Political parties have fielded 1874 candidates for the Punjab Assembly. 4836 independent candidates will join the race to get general seats of Punjab Assembly.

2878 candidates will compete in the general seats of Sindh Assembly. 2722 men and 156 women will contest the general seats of the Sindh Assembly. For the Sindh Assembly, 949 political parties and 1929 independents will be in the field.

As many as 128 million people are registered to cast their votes, almost half of whom are under the age of 35. More than 5,000 candidates - of whom just 313 are women - are contesting the 266 directly-elected seats in the 336-member National Assembly.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) and the PPP are considered the two major parties going into the vote.

However, picking out candidates from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is more difficult, after it was banned from using the cricket bat symbol under which all its candidates run.

The move has forced PTI-backed candidates, who are running as independents, to use other symbols instead, including calculators, electric heaters and dice. Electoral symbols play a key role in a country where more than 40% are unable to read. Symbols like polar bears and peacocks are on the ballot.

The PTI allege other tactics have also been used to prevent their candidates from campaigning for and winning seats, including locking up PTI members and supporters and banning them from holding rallies, effectively forcing them underground.

Imran Khan is serving at least 14 years in prison, having been sentenced in three separate cases in the space of five days last week. The PTI alleges interference by Pakistan's powerful military, with whom Khan is said to have fallen out before his ousting and imprisonment.

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