Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar on Thursday lauded the "participation and enthusiasm" of people as the cornerstone of democratic exercise and said the high voter turnout is a "clear indication of public commitment." He also commended the security personnel, civil administration and the Election Commission of Pakistan for conducting "free and fair elections" across the country.
Amid the deployment of 6,50,000 security personnel, voting that started at 8:00 am, concluded at 5:00 pm for an approximately 1.28 crore registered voters to cast their ballots.
Despite sporadic violent incidents ahead of and on the day of polls and internet and mobile services suspended for the day, people came out in large numbers to vote in a country ridden with economic crisis.
Mr Kakar described it as a "momentous occasion" and said it is not just a testament to the "resilience and strength of our democratic processes" but also to the "indomitable spirit" of the Pakistani people.
"The participation and enthusiasm of the people of Pakistan have been the cornerstone of this democratic exercise. The high voter turnout is a clear indication of public commitment to shaping the future of our country. The voices, expressed through the votes, will contribute to the fortification of our democracy, and for that, the people of Pakistan deserve every bit of appreciation," Mr Kakar said in a post on X.
He also lauded the efforts of the Armed Forces, Civil Armed Forces, LEAs, Civilian Administration and the ECP "for conducting free and fair election across the country are commendable" despite few incidents of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and said, "Their unwavering commitment to their duties has been instrumental in the smooth conduct of the elections." He ended his longish post on X with: "May this election be a harbinger of a brighter, more prosperous future for Pakistan." Meanwhile, a report from Dawn.com said, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it has resolved 76 poll-related complaints, which were received throughout the day.
According to the ECP spokesperson, most of the complaints were of "normal nature" involving confrontations between political workers in different areas which were resolved on the spot, the news site said.
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