Pakistanis come out to make vote count amid mobile shutdown, disarray at polling stations

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Updated 09 February 2024
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Pakistanis come out to make vote count amid mobile shutdown, disarray at polling stations

  • Voters complained they had trouble finding their polling stations because of communication problems
  • Many lamented disarray and mismanagement at polling booths, could not vote despite waiting for hours

Islamabad/Lahore/Peshawar/Quetta: Pakistanis on Thursday turned out to vote in an election they hope will lead to political stability and improve the nation’s economic woes, despite allegations of rigging, a rise in militant attacks and the government shutting down mobile phone networks throughout the country.

Political parties are vying for a share of the 266 seats that are up for grabs in the Pakistani National Assembly, or the lower house of parliament, with an additional 70 seats reserved for women and minorities. The main contenders are the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif, and the Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led Pakistan People’s Party.

Out of a population of 241 million, 128 million Pakistanis, or all those above 18 years of age, are eligible to vote. Polling booths opened at 8 a.m. and voting will continue until 5 p.m. (0300 GMT to 1200 GMT), but this time may be extended in exceptional individual circumstances.

Whoever wins Thursday’s election will inherit a deeply divided country with an economy in tatters, decades-high inflation, a rupee in freefall and a balance of payments crisis. An immediate challenge for the new government will be to renegotiate a new bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The last one, an ongoing $3 billion program, barely saved Pakistan from a debt default last June.

In the southwestern city of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, Muhammad Asif, 23, cast his vote in the city’s NA-263 constituency, with what he described as “high spirits.”

“I am feeling very well [after casting vote] and we hope the Noon League’s [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] candidate, Zarak Khan Mandokhail, a young candidate, we expect him to come [to power] and God willing, take us to betterment,” the first-time voter said.

“The country has suffered in the last five years, but we are optimistic that the situation will get better after general polls.”

“I am expecting from the upcoming government to be fair between the poor and the rich people ... and I want the government to decrease inflation,” Shandana Munir, a resident of the northwestern city of Peshawar told Arab News, after voting in the NA-32 constituency.

“They should focus on the poor people, facilitate them in hospitals, in the education system.”

Farhan Shareef, another voter in Peshawar’s NA-32 constituency, said the people of Pakistan wanted peace and prosperity, no matter who came to power.

“My wish is that whoever comes should do better for the country,” Shareef told Arab News. “We want peace, we want less inflation, that people be happy, and that’s what we want. These days everyone is worried.”

“COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS“

Across the country, voters complained that they had trouble finding their polling stations because of communication problems as Pakistan temporarily suspended mobile phone services due to security concerns.

“People are trying to find their polling stations to vote, someone is going here, someone is going there,” Muhammad Shafiq said as he waved a PTI flag in the NA-46 constituency in the capital city of Islamabad.

“If service was open we could find out more easily where the polling station is. But I hope that God will help us.”

Jamaat-e-Islami party supporter Sadia Mirza said the “turnout was great” at the NA-46 constituency, but the network shutdown had created problems.

“We are facing problems because we are not able to communicate with anyone, which is an issue for everyone... people are not happy with that,” Mirza added.

“I am voting for the first time but what they have done, this shutting the mobile service, it’s really bad,” said Abdur Rehman, a first-time young voter, who said he supported the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

“Because of this I could not call my friends, or contact PML-N camp people to ask them where the camp is. I had a transport problem in getting to the polling station so all of that was made difficult [by the mobile phone shutdown].”

“God willing it is so far peaceful and let’s see what happens as they have shut Internet and phone services,” a voter who was wearing a Pakistan Peoples Party hat said at a polling station in Peshawar.

“DISARRAY“

There were also reports of disarray and mismanagement at polling booths in parts of the South Asian country.

After polling opened on Thursday morning, widespread delays were reported in the opening of polling booths, with some stations such as in NA-223 in Badin in the southern Sindh province and NA-236 in Faisalabad in Punjab province, still not open well past noon.

Local media also widely reported delays in voting, including that voting was halted at two polling stations in NA-97 in Faisalabad due to allegations of rigging.

“There’s a lot of confusion since presiding officers are not putting the stamp on ballot papers,” a young woman voter in NA-128 in Lahore’s Model Town, who described herself as a PTI supporter, told Arab News. “Not many people know that this can invalidate their vote.”

An elderly voter in the same constituency said he had left his home early in the morning but had not managed to cast his ballot by the early afternoon.

“We live in Bhatta Chowk near the Defense Housing Society, but they have shifted our vote to Model Town,” he said, adding that he could not find his name in the voter list at the polling station specified by the election commission.

Mehwish Khan, a resident of Peshawar city in the NA-32 constituency, also lamented mismanagement.

“People do not know about the place where they’re going to cast votes and there have been last minute changes in the voting list as well, so a lot of people don’t know where they have to go [to vote],” Khan said.

 

 

“I think the Internet and mobile connections shouldn’t have been down, it would have been easier for people.”

In Karachi’s NA-248 constituency, Shagufta Aftab said there was “no system.”

“I have been worrying here [polling station at Altaf Hussain Hali School] for the last one and a half hours … The [caretaker] government made lofty claims, but there is no system in place here,” she told Arab News.

“I have even seen elderly and people with disabilities being upset over here.”

- With additional reporting by Rehmat Mehsud in Peshawar and Naimat Khan, Buraq Shabbir and Khurshid Ahmed in Karachi


Pakistan arrests suspects in visa fraud targeting job seekers hoping to reach Gulf, Europe

Updated 14 June 2025
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Pakistan arrests suspects in visa fraud targeting job seekers hoping to reach Gulf, Europe

  • All three suspects, including a woman, took large sums from people before going into hiding
  • FIA arrested them from different cities after they failed to deliver on promised overseas jobs

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday arrested three individuals, including a woman, for allegedly defrauding job seekers by promising employment in Gulf countries and Europe, state media reported.

The arrests were made during raids in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Multan, and Lodhran. The suspects, identified as Abid Hussain, Hira Noor and Ajmal, are accused of collecting large sums from citizens in exchange for fake overseas job arrangements.

“These suspects were arrested for their involvement in visa fraud and human smuggling,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said, adding all three went into hiding after failing to deliver on their promises.

The report further said Abid Hussain received Rs800,000 ($2,800) from one victim for a job in Saudi Arabia. Hira Noor allegedly took over Rs2.9 million ($10,150) from another individual, promising work in Europe. Ajmal is accused of charging Rs400,000 ($1,400) to arrange employment in Dubai.

The arrests come amid renewed efforts by Pakistan to crack down on human smuggling networks after a series of deadly boat tragedies in recent years involving Pakistani nationals trying to reach Europe as undocumented migrants.

Despite enforcement drives, criminal syndicates continue to exploit economically vulnerable individuals seeking better opportunities abroad.


Pakistan PM urges ‘credible’ global action to halt Israel’s war in call with Iran’s president

Updated 14 June 2025
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Pakistan PM urges ‘credible’ global action to halt Israel’s war in call with Iran’s president

  • President Masoud Pezeshkian calls for greater Muslim unity in the face of escalating regional threats
  • Pakistan’s defense minister also urges Muslim countries to sever their diplomatic relations with Israel

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday urged the international community and the United Nations to take “urgent and credible steps” to end Israel’s war in Iran, during a phone call with a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a statement from his office.

Israel launched surprise attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in the early hours of Friday amid Tehran’s negotiations with Washington over its nuclear program. The strikes killed several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists, according to Iranian media, and also caused civilian casualties.

Israel, at war in the region since October 2023, initially launched a military campaign against Gaza following a Hamas assault, which the Palestinian group said was retaliation for decades of oppression. Since then, the Israeli government has expanded its military operations to neighboring Muslim states such as Syria and Lebanon before targeting Iran.

Sharif said Pakistan stood in “resolute solidarity” with Iranian people and government during his conversation with the Iranian president.

“The Prime Minster denounced Israel’s blatant provocations and adventurism as a grave threat to regional and global peace and stability,” said the statement released by his office after the phone call.

“He urged the international community and the United Nations to take urgent and credible steps to put an end to Israel’s aggressive behavior and its illegal actions,” it added. “He stated that Pakistan was fully committed to promoting peace in the region and stood ready to play its role in this context.”

Sharif also conveyed condolences over the loss of life in Friday’s Israeli strike and recalled Pakistan’s statement of support for Iran during an emergency session of the UN Security Council a day earlier.

The Iranian President thanked Pakistan for its solidarity and support and called for greater unity among Islamic countries in the face of escalating regional threats.

UNIFIED STRATEGY

Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif urged Muslim nations to adopt a unified strategy to counter Israel, warning that failure to act collectively would leave them vulnerable, as he expressed full diplomatic support to Iran in a speech to the National Assembly following Israeli strikes.

“Just as Israel is currently targeting Yemen, Iran, and Palestine, if the Muslim world does not unite today and continues to prioritize its own interests and agendas, then everyone’s turn will come,” he told lawmakers.

“An OIC meeting should be convened, and all Muslim countries must come together to devise a strategy through which Israel can be confronted collectively,” he continued. “There is a need for an initiative that reflects the unity of the Islamic world. Wherever there are diplomatic ties with Israel in the Muslim world, they should be severed.”

The Pakistani minister added the Muslim world remained “militarily vulnerable” and voiced what he described as Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with Iran.

NO NUCLEAR TALKS
The Iranian foreign ministry also announced during the day it would no longer take part in planned nuclear negotiations with the United States in Oman, calling them “meaningless” while Israeli attacks continued.

“It is obvious that in such circumstances and until the Zionist regime’s aggression against the Iranian nation stops, it would be meaningless to participate in dialogue with a party that is the biggest supporter and accomplice of the aggressor,” an Iranian spokesperson said, according to international wire agencies.

Israel’s defense minister also warned “Tehran will burn” if Iran continued to launch missiles at Israeli cities. Iran had retaliated on Friday night by launching a barrage of missiles at Israel, with explosions lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Just a day earlier, hours after Israel targeted Iran, Pakistan’s envoy to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, condemned the strike on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, calling it a violation of international law.

“Iran has the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter,” he said, urging all sides to avoid further escalation and emphasizing the need to resolve tensions through diplomacy.


Pakistan PM calls for quick EV policy with stakeholder input to promote clean transport

Updated 14 June 2025
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Pakistan PM calls for quick EV policy with stakeholder input to promote clean transport

  • Shehbaz Sharif seeks ‘priority measures’ to promote electric motorcycles, scooters, cars and buses
  • He says charging stations and battery-swapping centers must be ensured to strengthen EV rollout

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Saturday pledged to promote electric vehicles (EVs) across all segments of transport, with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif calling for a national policy on the subject to be finalized in consultation with stakeholders.

The move comes amid a steady rise in EV adoption in a market long dominated by Japanese automakers such as Suzuki, Toyota and Honda. Increasingly, Chinese and Korean brands are entering the space, with electric vehicles becoming more and more visible in cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

The government is hoping to ride this momentum to cut fuel imports and reduce emissions.

“Priority measures will be taken for the promotion of electric motorcycles, scooters, three-wheelers, cars and buses,” the prime minister said while chairing a meeting in Lahore to discuss the adoption of EVs.

The draft Electric Vehicles Policy 2025 was reviewed at the meeting, with Sharif calling for its urgent finalization “in consultation with all stakeholders” before being presented to the cabinet.

“Charging stations and battery-swapping stations must be ensured,” he said during the meeting. “Industries will also be facilitated to increase the manufacturing capacity of two- and three-wheelers.”

While EVs offer a way to reduce the country’s petroleum import bill and carbon footprint, the lack of infrastructure, frequent power outages and limited financing options remain key impediments to their widespread adoption and scale-up.

Yet industry experts believe existing players in Pakistan’s auto market will face stiff competition from various EV brands, with many seeing electric vehicles as poised to consolidate their place in the domestic market.


Pakistan delegation in Brussels says Islamabad can develop counterterror partnership with Delhi

Updated 14 June 2025
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Pakistan delegation in Brussels says Islamabad can develop counterterror partnership with Delhi

  • India blames Pakistan for supporting “terrorist” attacks in the part of disputed Kashmir it governs
  • Islamabad, Washington thwarted attacks in Pakistan, US and Europe, says head of delegation

ISLAMABAD: The head of a delegation visiting Brussels to present Pakistan’s point of view regarding the country’s recent military standoff with India said on Saturday that Islamabad can develop a “phenomenal” counterterror partnership with Delhi, similar to the one it has with Washington. 

India blames Pakistan for arming and funding militants who carry out subversive activities in the part of disputed Kashmir it governs, an allegation Islamabad has always denied. The two countries engaged in a military confrontation for four days last month after India accused Pakistan of supporting an attack at the Pahalgam tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir. Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed in the attack. 

Pakistan enjoys counterterror cooperation with several countries, including the US, which includes intelligence sharing and other forms of coordination to thwart militant attacks. The head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Kurilla, this week praised Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counterterrorism efforts during a testimony. 

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is the head of the Pakistani delegation, pointed out that the US and Pakistan have thwarted “terrorist attacks” in Europe, the US and Pakistan through counter-terror coordination. 

“Will we be more effectively able to combat terror if India and Pakistan sat together and coordinated, conducted intelligence sharing,” Bhutto Zardari asked in response to a question. 

Citing Kurilla’s statement, Bhutto Zardari said Islamabad can develop a counter-terror partnership with New Delhi similar to the one it enjoyed with Washington. 

“We can develop that phenomenal partnership with India as well,” he added.

He lamented that there was no cooperation or coordination between the two nuclear-armed nations on combating “terrorism,” adding that the two countries last had a dialogue on counter-terror in 2012. 

 

 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the nine-member diplomatic group last month, headed by Bhutto Zardari, who is a former foreign minister and the head of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

He has been leading a team to visits in New York, Washington DC, London and Brussels since June 2. Another delegation, led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, has visited Moscow.

While the ceasefire between the two countries continues to remain in place, tensions continue to simmer as India says it is holding in abeyance a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. 

Islamabad had said after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty that it considered any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan to be an “act of war.”

About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million.

Pakistan and India, bitter rivals, have fought two out of three wars over the disputed territory of Kashmir that they both claim in full but govern only parts of.


Pakistan says 700 army personnel killed in militant attacks in last 2 years

Updated 14 June 2025
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Pakistan says 700 army personnel killed in militant attacks in last 2 years

  • Pakistan has suffered a surge in militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces recently
  • Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif blames New Delhi for supporting militant outfits in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Around 700 army personnel have been killed in various militant attacks over the past two years, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Saturday, accusing India of supporting terror outfits in the country. 

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks since November 2022 in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and southwestern Balochistan provinces bordering Iran and Afghanistan. In KP, the Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) outfit has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against law enforcers. 

In Balochistan, separatist ethnic Baloch militant groups demand independence from the state, accusing Islamabad of denying locals a share in the province’s mineral resources. Islamabad denies the allegations.

“In the past two years, 700 of our soldiers have been martyred,” Asif told lawmakers during a televised parliamentary session. “Our civilians have been martyred. Several districts of a province of ours are being targeted by terrorism.”

The minister said that militant outfits such as the TTP or the separatist Baloch Liberation Army are “agents of India,” alleging that they were fighting New Delhi’s war on Pakistani soil. 

“Any person who even has a speck of sympathy toward them is not a Pakistani,” Asif said, vowing that Islamabad would win its war against militancy. 

India and Pakistan have traded allegations of supporting militant groups for years. New Delhi blames Islamabad for supporting militant outfits who carry out attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir, an allegation that Pakistan has always rejected. 

The two countries engaged in a military confrontation for days last month after India attacked Pakistan with missiles, accusing it of supporting an April 22 attack in the Pahalgam tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir. 

Pakistan denied the allegations and called for an international, credible probe into the incident. 

The defense minister expressed solidarity with Iran over Israel’s recent attacks against it, vowing to extend support to the neighboring country.

“In this hour of trial, we are with them in every way,” Asif said. “Whatever help they need at the international level, at the United Nations or any other institution or at the Islamic conference, we will defend their interests there.”