Pakistan elections: Violence disrupted several polling stations in Pakistan on Thursday.
Islamabad:
Pakistan’s powerful military congratulated the country’s election on Thursday as “generally peaceful and free of violence” and said it hoped the poll results would serve as a “catalyst to further strengthen democracy”. nation.
Violence broke out at multiple polling stations in Pakistan on Thursday as millions of people cast their votes in an election that sent the country’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, to jail after being ousted in a no-confidence vote.
“We fervently hope that our sacrifices will not be in vain and that this election will serve as a catalyst to further strengthen democracy in Pakistan and pave the way for the realization of the aspirations of the people of Pakistan,” ISPR, the military’s media arm, said in a statement.
The powerful Pakistan Army has ruled coup-prone Pakistan for more than half of its 75-year history and has so far wielded considerable power over security and foreign policy.
The statement said the Armed Forces and Other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are proud to provide security, assist civil authorities and play a key role in the sacred electoral process in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan.
A safe environment for the public was ensured through the deployment of 137,000 military personnel and civilian armed forces at about 6,000 selected “most sensitive” polling stations and more than 7,800 QRFs, the report added.
“We would like to thank other law enforcement agencies for working hand in hand with the armed forces to safeguard the democratic process,” the statement said.
Despite 51 cowardly terror attacks aimed at disrupting the electoral process, mostly in the restive provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, soldiers remained steadfast and effective, ISPR reported Ensuring peace and security across Pakistan.
The military said the attacks killed 12 people, 10 of whom were members of security forces and law enforcement agencies, and injured 39 others.
“Through proactive intelligence exercises and swift action, many potential threats were neutralized, underscoring the strong commitment of our security agencies to protecting the democratic rights of citizens,” the statement added.
Shortly after Pakistan’s national polls ended, interim Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar congratulated the national election on the “successful holding” of the election.
He said in a post on X that today’s high turnout clearly demonstrated the public’s commitment to shaping the country’s future.
“Voice through the ballot will help strengthen our democracy, and for that, the people of Pakistan deserve appreciation,” he wrote.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said the elections were held in a “100 per cent transparent and peaceful” manner.
“The voting process continued without any interruption,” Raja said, adding that “no citizen was prevented from voting.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
