KARACHI: Prominent political leaders across the country cast their votes on Thursday and urged the public to exercise their right to vote, emphasising the significance of civic participation in shaping the nation’s future.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari exercised his democratic right in his hometown of Naudero, from where he’s contesting on NA-194, and urged citizens to participate in the general elections.

He emphasised the importance of exercising voting rights and urged the public to vote. He sounded hopeful about the results in his talks with the media after casting the vote but was upset with the unannounced suspension of cellular service across the country on election day.

Former president and chief of PPP Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari, surrounded by private security guards, voted in Nawabshah while his son.

Most leaders emerge confident of victory in their respective constituencies

In Karachi, MQM-P convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi cast his vote at the NA-248 constituency in the Federal B. Area neighbourhood. In his brief interaction with the media, he emerged confident that his party would win the largest single mandate in urban Sindh.

“There’s no contest on 16 National Assembly seats of Karachi. We have already won there and only formalities are left to announce. Over other seats, we are in a close contest and we would be the largest single party of Sindh cities,” he said.

President Dr Arif Alvi cast his vote and urged the countrymen to use their voting rights, saying that the country needed their opinion as never before.

The president, who reached the polling station along with his family members, awaited his turn in the queue and cast his vote, APP reported.

“The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has asked for your personal advice through your vote to elect representatives to the nati­onal and provincial assemblies,” Mr Alvi later posted on X (formerly Twitter).

He said it was everyone’s Islamic, constitutional and civic responsibility to vote. “We as a family reached our polling station, stood in line and have voted and urge all of you to come out and exercise your right. Pakistan needs your opinion as never before,” he said.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan cast his vote in High School Kalpani Dagar in NA-10 Buner. He requested citizens to exercise their right to vote, saying that people should get out in “maximum numbers” for their “freedom”.

He said that this was the day the citizens were waiting for, and it would prove to be a “critical point for Pakistan’s democratic history”.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman exercised his right to vote in Lakki Marwat, while Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq voted in Lower Dir.

Later, Mr Rehman said that it would be better for the country if all parties accepted the election results and noted that the process of polling concluded peacefully across the country. He condemned the cowardly act of attack on security personnel in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank.

Aimal Wali, Awami National Party’s president in KP and NA-25 candidate, cast his vote in Muhammad Narrai, Charsadda.

Muhammad Irfan Mughal in Dera Ismail Khan also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2024