IT exports increase by 32 percent: Dr. Umar Saif
Families enjoy a boat ride in Greater Iqbal Park.

LAHORE: February 10 –
General Elections witness participation of 60 mln voters
General Polls 2024: ‘Independents’ steal spotlight by winning 100 NA, 90 KPK assembly seats
ISLAMABAD, Feb 10 (APP): Independent candidates continued to consolidate their lead in the General Elections 2024 over mainstream political parties, especially in the National and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies, throughout the result announcement process.
They won 190 seats in the National and KPK assemblies, according to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) till Saturday.
According to available results (Form-47) from 255 National Assembly constituencies, independent candidates secured 100 seats, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 73, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) 54, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) three, Istehqam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) two, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan 17, Grand Democratic Alliance one, Pakistan Muslim League-Zia one, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan (MWMP) one, and PML three seats.
Out of 295 Punjab Assembly-seat results, independent candidates won 137 seats, PML-N 137, PPPP 10, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan 1, IPP 1, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) 7, and PML-Z 1.
For the Sindh Assembly, PPPP secured 84 seats, independent candidates 13, MQM-P 28, GDA 2, and Jamaat-e-Islami 2, out of the total 129 constituencies’ results.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, independent candidates clinched 90 provincial assembly seats, PML-N 5, PPPP 4, JUI 7, JI 3, Awami National Party (ANP) and PTIP one each, out of 112 seats.
In Balochistan, PML-N secured 9 seats, PPPP 11, JUI 9, independent candidates 6, JI 1, Awami National Party 2, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) 4, and one each by Balochistan National Party-Awami and National Party (NP), as per the results announced for 48 seats so far.
According to the ECP, over 128 million registered voters were scheduled to exercise their democratic right by casting votes for candidates participating in elections for the national and provincial legislatures. The polling was held for 265 seats of the National Assembly and 590 seats of provincial assemblies.
Voting took place on 51 seats of the Balochistan Assembly, 128 out of 130 seats of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 296 out of 297 seats of the Punjab Assembly, and 130 seats of the Sindh Assembly.
Polling was held in 855 constituencies out of overall 859; however, due to the death of the candidate, voting was not held in NA 8, PP 266, PK 22, and PK 91.
It was the 5th consecutive general poll for the transfer of power from one democratic setup to another since the dawn of the 21st century (2002-2024), reflecting the nation’s solid commitment to democracy, democratic values, and norms.
The polls were held overall smoothly and peacefully as no major untoward incident was reported throughout the country on Election Day with active participation of citizens who came out in droves to exercise their right to vote for electing candidates of their choice.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ensured elaborate arrangements in collaboration with security departments and other state institutions to conduct the election in a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful manner across the country.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has put on hold the results of NA- 88, PS-8 and PK-90 due to certain reasons while the announcement for awaited results of nine NA seats, Punjab one and three Balochistan would be made in due course of time by the ECP.
Whereas the re-polling on the withheld sets will be on February 15, and as per the ECP, the results are to be announced the same day.
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Indonesian Embassy facilitates nationals at early voting event
ISLAMABAD, Feb 10 (APP): The Committee for the Indonesian General Elections with the support of the Indonesian Embassy in the federal capital conducted an advance polling event on Saturday at the premises of the Embassy.
This early voting was held for the upcoming general elections in Indonesia scheduled to be held on 14 February 2024, said a news release.
The event provided an opportunity for the Indonesian nationals in Pakistan to participate in the electoral process as well as fostered a sense of community and camaraderie among the Indonesians and their families.
The elections in democratic Indonesia will determine not only the new President and Vice President but also parliamentary and local representatives.
On this occasion, the Embassy made comprehensive arrangements to facilitate more than 800 citizens along with their families from all over Pakistan to participate in the voting process including Islamabad Capital Territory.
While another approximately 200 Indonesian nationals will exercise their democratic right to vote in the Indonesian Consulate General in Karachi on Sunday.
In addition to serving as a platform for exercising political rights, the event transcended its primary purpose and evolved into a vibrant social gathering.
Attendees, both old acquaintances and new friends, seized the opportunity to reconnect, share stories, and celebrate the joyous occasion together.
The atmosphere was filled with laughter, music, and the taste of Indonesian cuisine as participants enjoyed the bazaar featuring food stalls, a musical event, health facilities, and a children’s play area.
“This event is designed not only as a political event but also as a moment of sharing happiness for Indonesians despite political differences,” said Arrozi Munib, Head of the Indonesian General Elections Committee in Islamabad.
“The ballot process was done smoothly with no significant hurdles on the ground,” added Zulfikar Alamsyah, Head of General Elections Supervisory Committee.
Moreover, the Embassy extended invitations to Pakistani think tanks and journalists, highlighting the significance of the electoral process in fostering strong democratic ties between Indonesia and Pakistan and further amplifying the message of cross-border cooperation and mutual respect.
One of the distinctive features of the event was the marking of voters’ fingers with special purple ink, symbolizing their active participation in the electoral process.
This visible demonstration of civic duty underscored the commitment of voters to shaping the future of their homeland through democratic means.



