ISLAMABAD – The political bigwigs of the country left their homes early Wednesday to cast their votes for the pivotal General Elections, for which the polling process started at 8 am.
President Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Shehbaz Sharif cast his vote in Government Junior Model School, Model Town in NA-130 constituency of Lahore and urged the masses to vote his party into power.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/pakistan-elections-2018-live-updates-pakistanis-go-to-the-polls-tomorrow-to-elect-new-pm/
“Today will be the day PML-N will emerge victorious [Insha’Allah]. Majority of Pakistanis want to vote for PML-N,” he said in his brief conversation with newsmen.
Imran Khan
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supremo and a potential candidate for the top slot of the country cast his vote in NA-53 constituency of the capital city from where he is contesting against political bigwigs including former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
The cricketer-turned-politician who is eyeing the prime ministership of the country used his right to franchise at the Dhok Jilani polling station.
In a brief interaction with newsmen, Khan urged the people to come out of their homes and use their right.
‘I don’t ask the public to vote PTI, vote whichever party you like but please do cast your vote,’ Khan said emphatically.
I pray to Allah Almighty that whatever is best for my country should be in place, Khan said as he revealed his traditional optimism about the elections.
‘I am a sportsman who has sports training and I play till the last ball,’ the politician vowed drawing an analogy with sports.
The 65-year-old politician expressed that his loyalties lie with Pakistan, contending that the international establishment was already at work complaining about rigging when the election hadn’t even happened.
Asif Ali Zardari
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman, Asif Ali Zardari cast his vote at the Government Boys School LBOD colony in Nawabshah.
Zardari is contesting the NA-213 seat with hopes that he might become a legislator for the first time in 25 years. He was last elected to the National Assembly in 1993.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari cast his vote in NA-200 constituency of Larkana from where he is in the run against Haleema Bhutto of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other independent candidates.
In his media interaction the 29-year-old politician, who is contesting the elections for the first time, condemned the Quetta suicide bombing and advised the public to use their voting right.
https://twitter.com/BBhuttoZardari/status/1022030303781642241
They are not letting media inside the polling stations. What are they hiding? he wondered.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman
Chief of Muttahida Majlis e Amal (MMA), Maulana Fazal ur Rehman used his voting right in Dera Ismail Khan city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
https://twitter.com/atanzeem/status/1021972939577667586
Addressing the media, the politician expressed that casting vote was a national duty and public should not miss the opportunity to vote the upright leadership into power.
Khursheed Shah
Former Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah cast his vote at Islamia Collge polling station in NA-207 constituency of Sukkur.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former premier of Pakistan, cast his vote in Deval Sharif. Abbasi is contesting the elections from NA-57 and NA-53 constituencies of Islamabad and Murree respectively.
https://twitter.com/AmirSaeedAbbasi/status/1021972178219266048
Khawaja Saad Rafique
Former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique also cast his vote in Lahore. He is contestign against a political bigwig, Imran Khan, the chairman of pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for NA-131 seat from Lahore.
https://twitter.com/PTVNewsOfficial/status/1022006082414280705
Shah Mehmood Qureshi
Central leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Shah Mehmood Qureshi cast his vote in Multan and predicted that all the six seats in the city would be bagged by his party.
After using his right, the politician headed to visit different polling stations.
Rehman Malik
Former interior minister Rehman Malik also cast his vote in Karachi and shared that a huge turnout was expected in the practice.
https://twitter.com/SenRehmanMalik/status/1021988898371776519
Asad Umar
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Asad Umar cast his vote in NA-54 constituency of Islamabad. Umar is also contesting elections from the same constituency against Anjum Aqeel of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz.
https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar/status/1021966635182247937
Farooq Sattar
The leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan, Farooq Sattar used his right to franchise in NA-245 constituency located in PIB colony of Karachi.
‘I can see in public a vigour matching the one in 1988,’ said the politician after using his vote and added that they will snatch their right from the centre.
Chaudhry Sarwar
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Ch Sarwar also cast his vote in his hometown Toba Tek Singh and shared the picture on microblogging site.
‘Urge you all to come out & vote for “Balla”. Your future &and your destiny is in your hands!,’ said the PTI leader.
Mustafa Kamal
The chief of Pak Sarzameen Party, Mustafa Kamal cast his vote in NA-243 constituency of Karachi.
“Do you want safe drinking water, or do you want a polluted environment to live in?” wondered Kamal in his address to newsmen.
Optimistic about bagging victory in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and other major cities across Sindh, he requested the public to vote for Pakistan’s better future.
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari and Asifa Bhutto Zardari cast their vote in NA-213 Nawabshah and shared a picture on social media as well.
https://twitter.com/BakhtawarBZ/status/1021978769123422211
The duo also lavihsed praise on their father Asif Ali Zardari for having dtrived for democratic transition.
The polling across Pakistan started at 8 am which will continue till 6 pm without any formal break.
As many as 105.96 million people will be able to use their right. Twenty-three percent of the total voters would be taking part in the exercise for the first time.
The countrywide election campaign, marred by a string of terrorist attacks, came to an end at the stroke of midnight, as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) — the two leading political parties culminated their respective poll drives in the Punjab.
According to the latest exit polls, the election could produce a hung parliament, as Punjab, with 148 National Assembly seats out of 272, will vote for the PML-N and PTI.
