Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari wants the mobile service across the country to be restored. The former foreign minister wrote a post on X (previously Twitter) saying, “Mobile phone services must be restored immediately across the country. I have asked my party to approach both ECP and the courts for this purpose.”
Other politicians are also agreeing with BBZ, including Independent candidate and former PPP minister, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
The federal Ministry of Interior has confirmed on Thursday morning that internet services on mobile data across the country have been suspended after a dramatic surge of terror attacks just a day before the country goes to polls.
“Recent surge in terrorist activities resulting in precious lives have stirred security environment in the country. In the light of deteriorating security situation and to mitigate potential security threats, need has risen to take by measures to safeguard against it. Therefore, it has been decided to temporarily suspend the mobile services across the country,” a statement issued by the ministry said.
However, WiFi services have not been suspended and remain operational.
The news has been met by dismay on social media as users say it hinders the voting process and blocks candidates from communicating with their polling staff.
On Wednesday, two attacks just a short while apart from each other, killed 27 people in Balochistan while more than 50 people were injured. A grenade attack in Karachi got foiled when the ammo detonated in the hands of the motorcyclist carrying it, while JUI-F’s Hafiz Hamdullah was attacked by gunfire in an assassination attempt that failed.
Pakistan is set to hold its national elections on Thursday, a crucial event for the country grappling with multiple crises.
As the new government prepares to take charge, it faces daunting challenges in stabilising the economy.
Last summer, Pakistan narrowly avoided a sovereign default through a last-minute $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
However, this lifeline is set to end in March, and officials anticipate the need for a new, extended programme.
Negotiating this program swiftly is imperative for the incoming government, as the economy is burdened by record-high inflation and slow growth resulting from stringent reforms.
The country’s headline inflation stood at 28.3 per cent year-on-year in January, slightly lower than December’s 29.7 per cent. Despite government expectations, citizens are anxious for the new administration to address the soaring inflation that has significantly impacted their daily lives.
Moreover, recent increases in gas prices, with a 35.13 per cent hike for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and 8.57 per cent for Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), add to the economic challenges. The move, effective from January 1, 2024, is the second increase in gas prices this fiscal year.
In addition to rising gas prices, the cost of petrol and diesel has surged, with a notable increase of Rs13.55 per litre announced on February 1, 2024. This hike is attributed to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, including Israel’s conflict with Gaza and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
Amid these economic hardships, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved an increase in electricity tariffs for distribution companies (Discos) by Rs4.57 per unit for December 2023. This adjustment addresses the escalating fuel costs impacting the power sector.
The new government is also expected to address the exchange rate concerns as the Pakistani rupee struggles against the US dollar, currently standing at around Rs279.
The disparity has led to increased prices for essential commodities, further straining the population.
Adding to the complexity of the upcoming elections is the high political tension, with former prime minister Imran Khan describing a crackdown on him and his party.
Khan, who has been in jail since August, faces pending cases, including accusations of ordering violent attacks on military installations.
Despite his imprisonment, Khan maintains substantial popular support, and continued political unrest could jeopardise the stability needed for economic recovery and foreign investment.
As Pakistan stands at a critical juncture, the incoming government’s ability to navigate these challenges will determine the nation’s economic trajectory in the coming years.
Our Election Handbook is finally here.
It’s been a long journey filled with tears, sweat, and countless sleepless nights (quite literally) as we meticulously researched your candidate.
Do you know what your candidate thinks about women’s rights, transgender rights, climate change, and minority issues? We looked through official government and party websites, news articles, news videos to find information on what your candidate thinks about issues that matter to you. We only had the manpower to do 50 candidates and hope it helps you make the decision on who to vote for in your city. The handbook is added, page by page, below but if you rather download it, here is the link:
Download PDF File:
Download General Elections Handbook 2024
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while talking to GEO News, said that he had a good working relationship with Shehbaz Sharif. The former foreign minister also said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are doing ‘politics of hate’.
Bilawal also stated that the politics of hate needs to end, as all politicians should respect each other. On the question of missing persons in the country, a young politician said his party will try to resolve this issue He was also not satisfied with what the caretaker federal government did to the Baloch Long March protesters in December.
The former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, while talking to GEO News, said that if Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) gets a simple majority in elections, then PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif will be the next prime minister of Pakistan.
The former prime minister also said that PML-N needs to do more work for women’s empowerment, as the party is lacking in addressing this issue. He also said that the party is geared up to fix the economy when they win the election.
Uff, so exciting, aapka first vote! If you’re confused about how to do it, don’t worry, we’re here to help. Here’s a step-by-step guide for what you need to do on Feb 8 to cast a vote.
Step-I: See if you are eligible
You need to be
Step 2:: Find your Polling station
To find out your constituency and polling station, text your CNIC number (without spaces or dashes) to 8300 — the only official code for the ECP.
You will receive an automated response with the name of the electoral area, block code, and serial number.
Step 3: Time to vote
Polling starts at 8 am on Thursday, Feb 8, and will typically end by 5 pm. Anyone who enters the polling station after the cut-off time will not be allowed to cast their vote so make sure you get there on time. Get it done as early as possible and enjoy the rest of the holiday.
Step 4: Dress comfortably and carry only CNIC to the polling station
On Feb 8, make sure to carry your original CNIC. Photocopies, duplicates, or any other document will not be accepted.
Another important thing to remember is that you will not be allowed to take your cell phone inside the polling station so best to leave it at home.
Step 5: Male-female segregation in a polling station
As you enter the polling station — men and women will enter separately — you will be checked by a security officer.
Step 6: Inside the polling station
Precaution: Do not attach any kind of object to the ballot paper. It will be rejected. Revealing your identity on the ballot paper will also result in the ballot papers being rejected.
Let the ink dry, and fold the ballot paper according to how you are instructed. The green paper goes into the box with the green lid, and the white paper goes into the box with the white lid.
Step 7: Go home and chill
As you step out of the polling station, get some snacks, head back home chill for the rest of the day, and be happy – you voted for the Pakistan you wanted. Now you have the right to complain!
A man from Chattisgarh in India surprised the guests at his daughter’s wedding by gifting them helmets.
Sed Yadav has gifted around 60 helmets to the guests at his daughter’s wedding.
When he chose a helmet instead of expensive goods for the guests, Sed Yadav said it was to create awareness about road safety.
Speaking to reporters, Yadav said, “I felt my daughter’s wedding was the best occasion to raise awareness about road safety. I told the guests that life is precious, and I appealed to them not to drink and drive as most road accidents occur due to drunk driving.” He said twelve members of his family also decided to dance wearing helmets during the wedding to support the cause.
“I distributed around 60 helmets to guests along with sweets,” he said.
A review report of a government organization has revealed that in the general elections to be held on February 8, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will emerge as the largest party, followed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The third in line is Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while other parties will follow.
Geo’s Umar Cheema reported an official who spoke to The News on the condition of anonymity and said that the government body came up with the analysis based on information gathered through interviews with police sources, revenue department, labor unions and professionals in various sectors.
He explained that the review has been carried out at the police station and union council level. The survey has been done scientifically to remove the possibility of wrong estimates, although the popularity rate of PML-N has been lower in the surveys conducted so far. An optimistic estimate has been made as the party has recorded an increase in popularity since the return of Nawaz Sharif, but no one has so far given an estimate of how many seats the party can win.
International media has also presented Nawaz Sharif as the future prime minister, but whether he will be able to get a simple majority or not is not clear. According to this official assessment, the PML-N will bag between 115 and 132 seats in the National Assembly.
The inclusion of reserved seats for women and minorities would mean that the party would have a chance to form a government alone with a simple majority. It can get close seats, which means PML-N can get a complete majority in the provincial assembly.
PML-N can make a clean sweep in Punjab except for a few districts, says the survey.
According to the estimate, PML-N will form a government with a possible two-thirds majority in Punjab, PML-N will succeed in forming coalition governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, while the PPP has the possibility of forming a government only in Sindh.
The review report says that PPP can get 35 to 40 seats at the center while the independent candidates of PTI can get between 23 to 29 seats. MQM may get 12 to 14 seats, JUI six to eight seats, Q-League and Satwat Pakistan Party are expected to get two to three seats in the National Assembly.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan is among the candidates being considered to be elected the next Chancellor of Oxford University following the resignation of Chris Patten. The seat is vacant after 80-year-old Patten, who held the post for 21 years, resigned.
The position of Chancellor is largely ceremonial and is typically awarded to a former politician. Patten was the governor of Hong Kong and a Tory deputy prime minister.
For the first time, elections for the chancellor will be held online compared to the traditional process in which graduates were required to attend the process in full academic dress. The prestigious chancellorship goes to graduates of the university, usually politicians.
Among the candidates competing for the position is Imran Khan who studied Economics and Politics at Kelbe College, Oxford in 1972. He captained Oxford’s cricket team in 1974, and previously served as the chancellor of Braddford University for eight years before stepping down in November 2014.
Oxford University is looking for a chancellor. One wild card name being suggested is Imran Khan. And then there is Pakistan the country he loves, lived for and is willing to die for…they made up tons of cases and put him into jail because he threatened their lifestyles! pic.twitter.com/LVaympWaQ1
— Najma Minhas (@MinhasNajma) February 7, 2024
Other contenders include former British Prime Ministers Theresa May, Tony Blair, and Boris Johnson.