Pakistan Elections 2024: 10 highlights ahead of Feb 8 polls
Pakistan will hold its much-awaited general elections today. The official results of the general elections will be declared on February 9 and will determine the formation of a new government, providing a potential solution to the country's ongoing crisis for the next five years
The federal legislature is being contested by 44 political parties with 5,121 candidates, and the four provincial assemblies in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan are being contested by 12,695 candidates. (Image: PTI)
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A total of 5,121 candidates are contesting in the National Assembly with an average of slightly more than 19 candidates per seat. There are 312 female candidates and 4,806 male candidates, representing 94% of the total. On the list are two candidates who identify thremselves as transgender.
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Pakistan has a population of 241 million, out of which 128 million are above the age of 18 and eligible to vote. Although the voter turnout is expected to be significantly lower, considering the 52% turnout in 2018.
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Pakistan does not use electronic voting machines (EVMs) and relies on ballot boxes. On February 8, citizens will cast their vote in 90,582 polling stations spread across the country. These polling stations are categorised as ‘highly sensitive’ (roughly 17,500 stations), ‘sensitive’ (32,508), and ‘normal’ (roughly 42,500). (Image: PTI)
There are 336 seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan but only 266 candidates are elected through polls. Some 70% of the seats in the National Assembly are reserved, 60% are designated for women and 10% for non-Muslims. The number of these reserved seats is determined by the Assembly's strength of each political party. (Image: PTI)
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The elected members select the leader of the House or the prime minister of Pakistan after the results are declared. A PM candidate is required to have a majority in the House. That means they would need the vote of at least 169 members in the National Assembly. If no single party has the majority, a coalition government needs to be formed. (Image: PTI)
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Pakistan's political landscape is largely controlled by three prominent parties- the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PML-N is currently the leading competitor and headed by two former prime ministers, Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led PPP is an ally of the PML-N and has a strong command in South Pakistan. Independent candidates from PTI will be contesting in this election since the party is barred from contesting with their party symbol due to four criminal convictions against Imran Khan (Image: PTI)
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Experts believe that there seems to be only one contender for the post of Prime Minister - Nawaz Sharif, who has previously held the post three times (Image: PTI)
The economy of Pakistan is in a critical state, and it will be the most significant factor for voters as the elections approach. Inflation is approaching 30%, and over the past two years, Pakistan's currency, the Pakistani rupee, has lost nearly 50% of its value against the US dollar. Pakistan is currently receiving $3 billion in aid from the IMF, which has led to further cuts in social spending and polarization of the population.(Image: PTI)
