Caretaker Information Minister of Balochistan, Jan Achakzai, has stated that internet services may be temporarily shut down around sensitive polling stations upon the request of local administration for security reasons on election day (Feb 8).
In a statement, the interim minister clarified that there are no government guidelines for a province-wide internet shutdown. However, he emphasized that internet suspension might be implemented temporarily if deemed appropriate by local authorities, particularly in areas like Turbat, Mach, Chaman, and others, which have been declared sensitive.
Jan Achakzai highlighted the stringent security measures being taken to ensure a foolproof election day in the province. He also cautioned that militants could potentially exploit social media platforms to incite violence during the elections.
Tomorrow, on Feb 8, Pakistani citizens will go to the polls to elect members of the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies. Polling will begin at 8 am and continue until 5 in the evening. The government has declared a public holiday on Feb 8 to facilitate citizens in exercising their voting rights.
Voters are required to bring their original Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) to cast their votes, and even expired CNICs are acceptable.
A total of 5,121 candidates are competing for the 265 National Assembly seats, while 12,695 candidates are in the field for the 596 provincial assembly seats. The latest data from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) indicates a total of 128,585,760 registered voters in the country.
