More than 100 million people are eligible to vote in today’s general election in Pakistan, in what is the country’s second transfer of power. The nation goes to the polls amidst an imminent financial crisis, frozen relations with India and after being blasted by President Donald Trump for its “lies and deceit”.
The knife-edge election is set to pit cricket hero Imran Khan against the party of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was jailed earlier this month on corruption charges.
While Mr Sharif remains the figurehead of his Pakistan Muslim League party, anti-corruption crusader Mr Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have cast a populist campaign as a battle to topple a predatory political elite hindering development.
Mr Khan's party has inched ahead of PML-N in recent national polls, but even if it gets the most votes, it will likely struggle to win a majority of the 272 elected seats in the National Assembly, raising the prospect of weeks of haggling to form a messy coalition government.
- Voting begins around the country ending a rancorous election campaign
- Early voting was heavy in polling stations in Islamabad, the capital, and in the Punjab provincial capital
- Ethnic minority candidates have received death threats and issued fatwas, religious edicts, against them
All times UAE (UTC+4)
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17:00 Polling stations close
The clocks have struck 6pm (5pm in the UAE) and polling stations are closed. Voters who have already joined a polling queue will be allowed to cast their ballots.
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16:16 Calls for extension rejected
The election commission has now rejected the calls for an extension. Voting will close at 5pm UAE time as previously arranged.
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16:11 Parties begin calling for extension
Leaders of the Pakistan People's Party have now also called for an extension, complaining about the slow rate of voting at several polling stations.
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15:51 Extension in polling deadline expected
Leaders of Nawaz Sharif's PML-N will hold what they call an "emergency" press conference shortly, Geo News reported.
With little more than an hour of voting left, they are expected to list complaints received from across the country and seek an extension in the polling deadline the news channel said.
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15:08 Sporadic violence between rival parties
Polling day has also seen sporadic clashes between the two leading rival parties, raising fears that any result could be met by violence.
In the worst skirmish in Punjab province, rival activists from Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (Pakistan Justice Movement) and Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) opened fire at each other, hurled clubs and threw stones. Four people were hospitalised with bullet wounds and one of them died.
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13:50 Careem urges Pakistanis to vote
Careem, the Dubai-based ride hailing app, has called on Pakistanis to turn out to vote and set up a free transport service to get them to polling stations.
The firm earlier in the campaign was forced to apologise after online marketing that many felt was mocking political parties.
Careem Pakistan forced to apologise over ill-conceived election marketing campaign
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Video: Blast kills 31 as Pakistan votes
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13:45 Record turnout predicted
Pakistan's elections have in the past laboured under poor turnouts, but the election commission this year predicts a record, more than the 55 per cent who voted in 2013.
Dawn TV broadcast footage of a young groom who took time out from his wedding celebrations to vote.
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13:07 Death toll in Quetta rises
Thirty-one have been killed and 35 wounded in the blast, with several reported to be in critical condition, raising concerns the death toll could rise further.
A witness who was waiting to cast his ballot, Abdul Haleem, said he saw a motorcycle drive into the crowd of voters just seconds before the explosion. Haleem's uncle was killed in the explosion.
"There was a deafening bang followed by thick cloud of smoke and dust and so much crying from the wounded people," he said.
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13:00 Several areas have seen women vote for the first time in this election
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11:57 Cricket star-turned-politician Imran Khan speaks to members of media after casting his vote at a polling station
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11:40 ISIS claims responsibility for attack in Quetta
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in Quetta. The group said the attack was aimed at a local police chief, but he escaped.
ISIS had vowed revenge on the security forces in the province after the extremists' leader in Baluchistan, Amir Mufti Hidayatullah, was killed by them last week in Kalat.
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11:05 Condolences offered as Quetta death toll mounts
With the death toll in Quetta mounting, political leaders have begun offering their condolences:
Prime Ministerial candidate for PTI, Imran Khan has also condemned the attack:
Thirty-one people have been killed, and 35 wounded in a suicide boming outside a crowded polling station in the western city of Quetta.
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10:55 'People want change'
Saqib Waheed a 26-year-old student voting in Rawalpindi says he expects a high turnout.
He said: "Definitely it's an important election. All around the world people want change and Pakistan is no different."
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10:39 Party leaders cast their votes
Shehbaz Sharif, younger brother of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, called on supporters to turn out.
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Read more on the Pakistani elections:
Pakistan rolls out unprecedented security operation ahead of election
Opinion: Divide and rule: why the Pakistani army stands to gain from stirring rivalries between parties
Opinion: Will voters in Pakistan decide on a clean sweep of the country’s indisputably rotten system of governance?
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10:35 Blast kills at least 28 in Pakistani city on election day - media
A blast killed at least 28 people in Pakistan's western city of Quetta on Wednesday in an attack targeting a police van, media said, as the South Asian nation holds general elections.
At least 40 people were also wounded outside the crowded polling station in Quetta.
Geo TV put the death toll at 18, while rival Samaa TV put it at 20, adding a "suicide attacker" was responsible.
Quetta city, western Pakistan:
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10:30 Pictures from around Pakistan
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10:05 From Ben Farmer in Islamabad
Voting for two parliament seats and six seats in provincial assemblies has been postponed for a later date, due to attacks on candidates or disqualifications.
One candidate in the Sindh provincial assembly was unopposed and has already secured that seat.
Malik Dil Nawaz Wazir has the unenviable job of overseeing the elections in the former heartland of Pakistan's Taliban. The returning officer in South Waziristan, outlined the security preparations for each polling station to The National.
He said: “We have full proof security for polling staff as well as polling stations.”
A detachment of four soldiers per polling station would be joined by 10 members of paramilitary forces.
A quick reaction force is held in reserve, no more than 20 minutes drive from any polling station.
Of 98 polling stations, 42 are considered sensitive and have been fitted with security cameras.
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10:00 Voting opens around the country
Pakistanis began voting in the second democratic transition of power in a country with a history of coups d'etat and military rule. The elections will be ending a campaign marred by widespread allegations of manipulation that imperils the country's wobbly transition to democratic rule.
The ballots will decide a new government and prime minister in a general election braced for militant violence and protected by the country's largest ever polling day security operation.
More than 85,000 polling stations are open across Pakistan and more than 12,000 candidates are vying for 272 seats in parliament and 577 seats in four provincial assemblies.
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The main contenders
Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
Brother of the jailed former-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Mr Sharif has been called "Pakistan's Bobby Kennedy". As leader of the PML-N, Mr Sharif, 66, has used his expertise in developing infrastructure in the key province of Punjab to maintain favour with voters.
Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
Cricket player turned politician Imran Khan is the nation's most likely contender for change. Standing on a platform of anti-corruption and change, Mr Khan is drawing with Mr Sharif in many polls. Despite his playboy reputation as a cricket player, Mr Khan has stood on a socially conservative platform. In 2013 Mr Khan failed to win the race, finishing third, primarily due to his focus on speaking to large crowds instead of building political alliance.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan's People's Party (PPP)
Stuck in the shadow of corruption allegations against his father, Asif Ali Zardari, Mr Zardari, 29, is currently polling in third place. Mr Zardari is the eldest son of Pakistan's late Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007. The PPP could retain a pivotal role if they win the crucial Sindh province, and form a coalition with either of the two major parties.
Siraj ul-Haq, Jamaat-I-Islami
Jamaat-I-Islami is the political voice of Pakistan's Sunni Muslim clergy, the country's majority faith. The party could join forces with Mr Khan's PTI, should he win the election.
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
The%20specs
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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
Kanye%20West
%3Cp%3EYe%20%E2%80%94%20the%20rapper%20formerly%20known%20as%20Kanye%20West%20%E2%80%94%20has%20seen%20his%20net%20worth%20fall%20to%20%24400%20million%20in%20recent%20weeks.%20That%E2%80%99s%20a%20precipitous%20drop%20from%20Bloomberg%E2%80%99s%20estimates%20of%20%246.8%20billion%20at%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3Cbr%3EYe%E2%80%99s%20wealth%20plunged%20after%20business%20partners%2C%20including%20Adidas%2C%20severed%20ties%20with%20him%20on%20the%20back%20of%20anti-Semitic%20remarks%20earlier%20this%20year.%3Cbr%3EWest%E2%80%99s%20present%20net%20worth%20derives%20from%20cash%2C%20his%20music%2C%20real%20estate%20and%20a%20stake%20in%20former%20wife%20Kim%20Kardashian%E2%80%99s%20shapewear%20firm%2C%20Skims.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Who are the Sacklers?
The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.
Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma.
It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.
Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".
The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.
Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
World%20Cup%202023%20ticket%20sales
%3Cp%3EAugust%2025%20%E2%80%93%20Non-India%20warm-up%20matches%20and%20all%20non-India%20event%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3EAugust%2030%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Guwahati%20and%20Trivandrum%0D%3Cbr%3EAugust%2031%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Chennai%2C%20Delhi%20and%20Pune%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%201%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Dharamsala%2C%20Lucknow%20and%20Mumbai%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%202%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Bengaluru%20and%20Kolkata%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%203%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Ahmedabad%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%2015%20%E2%80%93%20Semi-finals%20and%20Final%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Most F1 world titles
7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)
7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)
5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)
4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)
4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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3.
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%202-litre%20direct%20injection%20turbo%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%207-speed%20automatic%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20261hp%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20400Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20From%20Dh134%2C999%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food