Tue, 21-Oct-2025

FO takes note of negative statements by certain countries on polls

FO

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its surprise on Saturday at the negative tone of some of the statements of certain countries over the recently concluded general elections in Pakistan.

It said these statements neither took into account the complexity of the electoral process nor acknowledged the free and enthusiastic exercise of the right to vote by tens of millions of Pakistanis.

“These statements ignore the undeniable fact that Pakistan has held general elections peacefully and successfully while dealing with serious security threats resulting primarily from foreign-sponsored terrorism,” the Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said that they had taken note of statements from certain countries and organizations on the general elections held in Pakistan on February 8. “Some statements are not even factual.

There was no nationwide internet shutdown. Only mobile services were suspended for the day to avoid terrorist incidents on the polling day. The election exercise has demonstrated that the concerns of many commentators were misplaced,” it was emphasized.

Pakistan held the elections as part of its commitment to building a stable and democratic society, the spokesperson said, adding that while they valued constructive advice from their friends, making negative commentary even before the completion of the electoral process was neither constructive nor objective.

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56 terrorist incidents take place on election day: Gohar Ejaz

terrorist

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Interior Dr. Gohar Ejaz said that a total of 56 terrorist incident were taken place on February 8 Election Day to sabotage the electoral process.

Briefing media persons about the overall security situation and challenges specifically regarding election day, he said that the biggest challenge of the caretaker government was to provide security to the people of the country on election day.

Sharing details of the casualties, the minister informed that 3 military jawans, 2 levies jawans, 7 police officials, 4 civilians including 2 minors lost their lives in the incidents. The government had made a difficult decision to shut down the mobile service across the country in a high-level meeting on February 7 after the two deadliest terrorist incidents in which 28 innocent lives were lost, he added.

The minister said that the government had received intelligence reports that the terrorist would carry out activities in different places through detonated devices.

He congratulated the deployment of hundreds of thousands of regular and civil armed forces, other law enforcement agencies and civilian officials across the country for successful conduct of the general elections.

Dr Gohar said that 61 incidents of violence were also reported across the country during elections adding, all the incidents were being investigated in details and the action would be taken against culprits.

He said that deaths of 28 people and serious injuries to 64 others in terrorist incidents just one day prior to the elections forced the state to take several measures for ensuring safety of the citizens.

This also included the difficult decision of suspending the mobile phone services across the country to disallow terrorists the means to communicate, coordinate and conduct terrorist operations, he added. The minister said mobile devices were also instrumental in initiating the trigger mechanisms for modern explosive devices for mass casualties.

The government was fully aware that suspension of mobile services would impact the transmission of election results across the country and delay the process, however, the choice between this delay and safety of the citizens was quite straightforward and the decision was taken, he said.

Physical transportation of election results from widely spread polling stations and especially in distant places in Balochistan, KP and even in rural areas of Punjab and Sindh, with such elaborate security measures was also a laborious and time consuming exercise, he maintained.

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PM Kakar, US envoy discuss repatriation of illegal foreigners

PM Kakar
  • PM highlighted steps being undertaken by government in priority areas.
  • Regional developments, including situation in Gaza, were also discussed.
  • He emphasized significance of strong ties between Pakistan and US.

ISLAMABAD: United States Ambassador Donald Blome called on Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and discussed various matters, including repatriation of illegal foreigners.

The prime minister highlighted the steps being undertaken by the government in priority areas, particularly for stabilization of the economy, repatriation of illegal foreigners, as well as the ongoing electoral process.

Regional developments, including the situation in Gaza, were also discussed.

PM Kakar emphasized the significance of strong ties between Pakistan and the United States.

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Khushab: Polling Underway For PP-84 By-Election

PS-70 by-election In Badin: Polling To Begin Today

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has organized PP-84 by-election (Punjab Assembly Seat) in Khushab, for which the process of polling is underway.

According to the details, the residents of Khushab in Punjab’s Sargodha district are exercising their right to vote for their preferred candidate for the seat that was left vacant after the death of PML-N MPA Malik Muhammad Waris Kallu, who died on March 12 from COVID-19.

The ECP has established 229 polling stations, including 666 polling booths — 344 for male and 322 for female voters. The total registered voters amount to 292,687 of which 155,104 are male and 137,583 female.

Muhammad Moazam of the PML-N, Ali Hussain of the PTI, Ghulam Habib of the PPP, and a candidate of the TLP are in the fray.

The Government has formed 10 teams that will monitor the electoral process to the announcement of the results.

The security officials deployed on the polling stations have been strictly directed to ensure security and smooth conduct of elections throughout the constituency and safe delivery of ballot boxes and other election materials at the polling booths.

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