Blasts Near Pakistan Candidates' Offices Kill 26 on Eve of Election
Editor
7 February 2024 22:19 WIB
Khan, in a message from jail, earlier urged his supporters to wait outside polling booths after casting their votes, as rival political parties held large rallies to mark the end of the election campaign period.
Any large-scale gathering of Khan's supporters near booths could raise tensions because of what they call a military-backed crackdown on him and his party that has restricted campaigning. The military denies interfering in politics.
"Encourage the maximum number of people to vote, wait at the polling station ... and then stay peacefully outside the Returning Officer's office until the final results are announced," said Khan on social media platform X, accompanied by an undated photograph depicting him wearing simple black clothing.
His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party also released a video of Khan recorded just days before he was arrested in August, calling on people to turn out to vote.
Kasim Khan, Khan's son with British journalist Jemima Goldsmith, in a post on X called on people to vote with an image of him and his brother holding a PTI flag. A PTI official confirmed the account belonged to Kasim Khan, a rare social media post from Imran Khan's children who have previously stayed out of the public eye.
Electoral frontrunner Nawaz Sharif led a huge rally in the eastern city of Kasur with his brother, former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is running in that constituency.
Amid a sea of tens of thousands of supporters waving green party flags, Sharif called on the country's youth to support his party and took aim at Khan who has previously attracted support from young voters in the area.
"Don't fall for him," Sharif said.
Supporters of the rival Pakistan People's Party also gathered in the southern city of Larkana led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who could play king-maker if no one party receives enough parliamentary seats to form a government outright.
The former foreign minister and son of assassinated prime minister Benazir Bhutto criticized opponents, including Sharif, for what he described as compromising the country's security and economy during their tenures.
REUTERS
Editor's Choice: Pakistan Readies Itself for an Orchestrated Election
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
