Islamabad [Pakistan], February 8 : Polling operations at various stations throughout the country have encountered significant delays owing to a range of technical and logistical impediments, hindering the commencement of the electoral process, pakistan based Samaa reported. In Hyderabad's NA-220 constituency, the distribution of essential polling materials remains pending, thereby preventing the deployment of polling staff crucial for NA-220's electoral proceedings.
According to Samaa, district Returning Officer Tariq Qureshi underscored that the transmission of materials hinges upon the credentials possessed solely by the Returning Officer (RO), comprising an ID and password requisite for system access.Meanwhile, at PS-2 in Thal, polling initiation faces setbacks due to incomplete preparations at the polling station. Similarly, in Ghotki, the commencement of polling at NA-198 Dharki has been stalled due to the absence of designated agents, as reported by Samaa.Also Read | Pakistan Elections 2024: Voting Underway Amidst Security Concerns, One Officer Killed
Furthermore, in Karachi's Punjab Colony, polling activity remains suspended at NA-232 polling stations due to the unavailability of polling boxes alongside the conspicuous absence of polling agents.
It is imperative to note that the general elections of 2024 were scheduled to commence at 8 am today, and will persist uninterruptedly until 5 pm. Voters across the nation are encouraged to exercise their democratic right by casting their votes in favor of their chosen candidates, both at the national and provincial assembly constituencies. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other prominent incarcerated political figures have cast their votes through a postal ballot from Adiala Jail, Dawn News reported quoting sources.
Other political leaders who have managed to vote by mail included former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry. However, Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, was unable to partake in the voting as she was convicted and arrested after the completion of the postal voting process.
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