Low voter turnout in Pakistan poll
A low voter turnout today marked Pakistan's parliamentary elections held under the shadow of violence amid predictions that main opposition parties will win which will loosen President Pervez Musharraf's hold on power.
By PTI |
ISLAMABAD: A low voter turnout today marked Pakistan's parliamentary elections held under the shadow of violence amid predictions that main opposition parties will win which will loosen President Pervez Musharraf's hold on power.
No official figures about the turnout were available but observers said it would be less than the 42 per cent recorded in the 2002 polls.
A large number of people went to polling stations in the final hours before the voting ended at 5 pm (5.30 IST) to exercise their franchise.
Though the fear of violence had loomed large over the elections to the national and four provincial assemblies, the process was largely peaceful in most parts of the country, barring stray incidents of violence involving workers of political parties in Sindh and Punjab provinces and sporadic militant attacks in the northwestern areas.
At least six people were killed in Punjab province, the political heartland of Pakistan, in political clashes. One person was killed in a bomb blast in Quetta while another died in a clash at Mansehra in North West Frontier Province.
Militants in the restive northwestern areas attacked polling stations with bombs and rockets, though there were no casualties, officials said.
There were also reports of people being intimidated and prevented from voting in some places. At Badin in Sindh, some persons allegedly snatched polling materials and forcibly stamped ballots. At Bannu in NWFP, militants kidnapped some poll officials.
No official figures about the turnout were available but observers said it would be less than the 42 per cent recorded in the 2002 polls.
A large number of people went to polling stations in the final hours before the voting ended at 5 pm (5.30 IST) to exercise their franchise.
Though the fear of violence had loomed large over the elections to the national and four provincial assemblies, the process was largely peaceful in most parts of the country, barring stray incidents of violence involving workers of political parties in Sindh and Punjab provinces and sporadic militant attacks in the northwestern areas.
At least six people were killed in Punjab province, the political heartland of Pakistan, in political clashes. One person was killed in a bomb blast in Quetta while another died in a clash at Mansehra in North West Frontier Province.
Militants in the restive northwestern areas attacked polling stations with bombs and rockets, though there were no casualties, officials said.
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There were also reports of people being intimidated and prevented from voting in some places. At Badin in Sindh, some persons allegedly snatched polling materials and forcibly stamped ballots. At Bannu in NWFP, militants kidnapped some poll officials.
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