Pakistan: 31 killed, 36 injured in violence on Election Day
What's the story
At least 31 people were killed, including 28 in a suicide-blast outside a polling station in Pakistan's Quetta city, and 36 others injured as violence erupted on the day of elections in Pakistan. In Balochistan, a suicide-blast targeting a police van killed at least 28 people, including five policemen, and nearly 30 others were injured in a blast near Quetta's Eastern Bypass. Here's more.
Information
Election results to be announced within 24 hours
The voting in Pakistan started at 8 am local time (Pakistan) in over 85,000 polling-stations. The counting of votes will be done on the spot soon after the conclusion of the polling process at 6 pm and the results will be announced within 24 hours.
Attack
There is a pattern of attacks targeting security forces
The blast took place near Quetta's Eastern Bypass when a police van was targeted in the attack. The attack was part of a larger pattern of attacks targeting security forces' vehicles and not targeting the electoral process, the Express Tribune reported. Quetta is the provincial capital of Balochistan province. The suicide bomber wanted to enter the polling station, a police spokesperson said.
Rivalry
In another incident, supporters of two rival parties exchanged fire
In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Swabi district, supporters of two rival parties exchanged fire outside a polling station, killing a worker of former cricketer Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and injuring two others, police said. The PTI worker was killed as party activists clashed with Awami National Party (ANP) workers outside a polling station for NA-19 (Swabi II) and PK-47 (Swabi V) in Nawan Kali area.
Information
Voting has been stopped across Larkana
Another person was killed in firing outside a Mirpurkhas polling station in NA-219 Dighri area. In a separate incident, four people were injured in a cracker blast outside a political camp in Larkana. Voting has been halted across Larkana NA-200/PS-11 post the explosion.
Elections
Over 30 political parties contesting in the elections
DIG Abdul Razzak Cheema's convoy was also attacked. He is reported to be safe. More than 30 political parties are contesting in the elections. Pakistanis are voting to choose a new government in the second democratic transition of power in the nation's 70-year history amid accusations of manipulation by the powerful army and concerns over the participation of Islamic hardliners in large numbers.