The rickshaw drivers, bricklin labourers and tailors were overjoyed after polling their first vote in February 8, 2024 election.
Asadullah Khan, a 21-year-old voter was overjoyed after casting his first vote of his life in Election 2024 on Thursday. “Today, my dream came true after polling my first vote in the general election held in Pakistan,” said Arifullah after polling his vote at native polling station Dheri Ishaq Nowshera district. “For the sake of voting, I refused several offers of clients today and visited to native polling station along with my family and cast vote in a peaceful atmosphere,” he told APP after casting vote with big smile in his face.
“When General Election came nearer, I applied for computerized ID Card to cast my first vote on February 8, election,” he told this agency. Tailor Siyar Ali and bricklin labourer, Mosa Jan expressed happiness after polling first vote in general election. “I rushed to my polling station Mohib Banda Nowshera where I cast my first vote after Zuhar prayer,” he said after casting vote in the polling station.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) data has revealed that 17,816 candidates are in the run including 12,695 for provincial assemblies and 5,121 for national assembly seats.
The total voters include 16,930 male, 882 female and four transgender persons. The political parties fielded 6,031 candidates, including 5,726 male and 275 female. A record number of 11,785 independents are also in the race, including 11,174 males, 607 females and four transgender persons.
The political parties fielded 1,873 male and 93 female candidates for 266 general seats of the National Assembly with 3,248 independents, including 3,027 male, 2,019 female and two transgender persons in the fray.
Similarly, 12,695 candidates are flexing muscles for 593 provincial assembly constituencies, including 12,123 males, 570 women and two transgender persons.
In Election 2024, great enthusiasm was witnessed among female voters. Women form 46% (59.3 million) and men 54% (69.2 million) of the total registered voters. However, more than 56 million young voters between the age brackets of 18-25 and 26-35 years are being seen as potential factor in shaping the legislatures. The electoral contest are featuring 28.74 million voters in the age group of 36 to 45 years. Those on the premises of a polling station would be allowed to exercise their right to vote after the time is over.
As many as 648,000 security personnel have been deployed for poll duties, including 137,000 military and 511,000 police personnel. As many as 90,675 polling stations have been established across the country, out of which more than half have been declared as sensitive or most sensitive.
The counting of ballot papers will begin soon after the voting closes, with tentative results expected to emerge within a few hours. Election Commission has introduced an Election Management System (EMS) for speedy tabulation of results and expects the new system will function without any problem besides quick dissemination of results.
