Islamabad: Amid tight security, voting begins in Pakistan to elect a new National Assembly and provincial assemblies.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 3,459 candidates are contesting for 272 general seats of the National Assembly, while 8,396 candidates are running for 577 general seats of the four provincial assemblies - Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
105.95 million voters are expected to cast their votes in their respective constituencies across the country, the Dawn reported.
The polling process will start at 8:00 am and end at 6:00 pm on Wednesday.
The counting of votes will be done on the spot soon after polling is concluded and results will be announced within 24 hours.
Around 220 million ballot papers have been printed for the election. The colour of ballot paper for the National Assembly is green, whereas white coloured paper shall be used for the Provincial Assembly.
Pakistan saw intense campaigning ahead of the 11th general election by candidates from key parties, namely Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan's Peoples Party(PPP).
About 449,465 policemen and over 370,000 military personnel, which total up to approximately 800,000 troops, have been deployed across the length and breadth of the nation to ensure a safe election.
Taking into account the wave of violence and terrorist attacks witnessed in the run-up to the elections, Peshawar's deputy commissioner has arranged 1,000 kafans (burial shroud) as a pre-emptive measure.
The troops have been deployed to provide mandated assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct polls, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The logistical arrangements for polling booths are being carried out under the supervision of deployed troops.
More than 17,000 polling stations have been declared sensitive across the country, while CCTV cameras have also been installed at the polling stations, reported Geo TV.
In a special message on Tuesday, Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan urged voters to fulfil their national duty of casting the ballot.
A public holiday has been declared across the country on Wednesday in order to facilitate the voting process.
Pakistan's National Assembly comprises a total of 342 members, of which 272 will be directly elected today whereas the rest — 60 seats reserved for women and 10 for religious minorities — are selected later through proportional representation among parties with more than five per cent of the vote.
A party can only form the government if it manages to clinch 172 seats in total.
In the previous elections, PML-N, led by former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, emerged as the largest party with 166 seats out of a total of 342 in the National Assembly.
Although the seats were short of a majority, Sharif was able to form a government after several independents joined his party.
However, Sharif was disqualified as the Prime Minister and as a Member of the National Assembly in July last year after the Panama Papers case decision.
After Sharif's disqualification, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was elected as 18th Prime Minister of Pakistan by the National Assembly in August 2017.
While the country is gearing up for the polls, Sharif and his daughter, Maryam, are currently lodged in Rawalpindi's Adiala jail, after being convicted in the Avenfield reference case.
