Bomb blasts cast shadow over Pakistan's milestone election

KITE's technical rigging in Karachi: http://www.zemtv.com/2013/05/12/ali-zaidi-of-pti-exposing-mqm-rigging-in-karachi/ Karachi is the only city of the world where the voters have no right to put stamp on the sign of their candidate: Watch the persons providing ballet papers after making stamps on KITE, no option for voter: Status quo is better then disastrous days to follow, let clock ticks back. We won't allow neo-Talibans to rule ISLAMabad in chocolate coated version of PTI-TTP. We can't digest C H A N G E. Now we are immune to breath in barood environment, our day starts with grenades and ends with bombing, in the morning we listen to Azan and then take a turn to click on LIKE, in Zohr we stock bullets, boris and evening we execute HOLY missions and nights, we celebrate our committed operations. If Allah can keep alive a lady under rubble of building for 17 days, we can still have good hope and should have trust on long term Occultation of Imam Mahdi AJTFJ. The same Allah who arranges to send food & juices in the mines, 750 ft. below ground and keep miners alive for 68 days, same Allah who can hide a much greater SUN by much smaller moon, the same Allah who can create UNIVERSE in honor of 14 masooomeens can keep Akhri Mohammad Alive, the same Allah who can shake earth from Delhi to Dubai much faster then SMS/ email speed, but honestly I feel its last year>>>5 days ago IK was not aware that he will be sitting on his own hospital bed, 3 day ago Gilanis were not aware that her mother will ask too get younger Gilani at all costs whether they had to leave contest, and we don't know outcome of 2013 Elections in PAK IRAN , who will be winner and who will be losers, 1 thing is certain, GOD will lead events to such a corner where one can't even imagine. SHARIFS of PUNJAB can't rule SALEH & AMEEN AWAM OF SINDH, KPK. Johla pe Johla mussalt hotey hayn, Sharifon pe Sharif aur Zaleelon pe Zaleel hee hukmrani ker saktey hayn. ZALEEL can rule on TALIBANized ISLAMabad but not in KHI. پاکستاني شیعہ‎ جعفریہ پریس جھنگ الرٹ ١٢ حلقوں کا رزلٹ باقی .معلون زمانہ احمد لھدیانوی کے مقابلے میں قائد ملت جعفریہ علامہ ساجد نقوی کی حمایت افتاح دونوں امیدوار شیخ محمد اکرم قومی اسمبلی سے 4800 ووٹ کی لیڈ پر ،جبکے شیخ یعقوب کی اہلیہ 8000 کی لیڈ پر ،جبکے اختر شیرازی 420 ووٹ ،اس بار معلون زمانہ ان حلقوں سے ہارا ہیں جہاں سے ہمیشہ جیتا ہے لبیک یا حسین ،لبیک یا مہدی اعتزاز احسن کی علامہ عبدالخالق اسدی سے ملاقات، اہلیہ بشریٰ اعتزاز کی حمایت کرنیکی استدعا صوبائی دفتر میں ہونیوالی ملاقات میں پیپلزپارٹی کے رہنماء کا کہنا تھا کہ انہیں نہیں معلوم تھا کہ ان کے حلقے میں زیادہ تر ووٹرز ایم ڈبلیو ایم سے وابستہ ہیں ورنہ یہ ممکن نہیں تھا کہ وہ رابطہ کرنے میں اتنا لیٹ ہوتے۔ کراچی میں ہونے والی منظم دھاندلی کی شدید مذمت کرتے ہیں ، فاشسٹ لسانی جماعت جتنی چاہے کوشش کر لے اس کی دی ہوئی بوری بند لاشیں سب کو یاد ہیں، سانحہ لائٹ ہاؤس کے بعد جلنے والی عمارات سب کو یاد ہیں ، بھتے کی پرچیاں سب کو یاد ہیں ، ،،،،،،،، لعنت ہو ایم کیو ایم اور ان کے ساتھیوں پر Complain Received From Various Parts of Karachi: " Log Vote Dalne Gaye tou Unka VOTE Already Cast Huawa Tha " Karachi: NA-253 Ke Mukhtaleef Polling Stations Se Lists Ghayab. Sheheriyun Ko Pareshani MQM ELECTION FRAUD AT ITS PEAK : Asoo Faisal reports: N.A 253 , N.A 257 , N.A 250, N.A 252 are "SEIZED" for ELECTION FRAUD by the MQM. Rigging Has started , ECP Silent, Army Disappear, MQM ELECTION FRAUD unattended by the Law Enforcement Agencies. Is it a connivance ? Muhammad Khan reports: RIGGING in full SWING NA240 VoteConfedentiallity being violated. Voter not allowed 2 go 2 voter cabin by "bhailog", meaning MQM. ELECTION FRAUD AT ITS PEAK IN KARACHI : KARACHI-TERRORIST IN FULL SWING : NA-241 : Orangi Town: Haqeeqi's candidate murdered last night. NA-242: reports :Syed Hidayat orangi town k Halqa NA-242 may jamat islami k election worker ko mQM k dhasht dardon ny zabardasti poling station sy bahir nikal deya ha. rangers or police ko complain karny k bawajod koe action nahi lea ja raha ha. " Commissioner Karachi Aur Degar Hukaam Dhandli Karne Walu Ko Fauri Girftaar Karey ": Secretary Election Commission (National Assembly Position) Ghair Hatmi Nataij... PML-N ki 132 PTI ki 36 PPP ki 33 MQM ki 13 Seats JUI-F ki 10 MWM bhi Jeeti hay Sindh Police Karachi: NA-253 Sohrab Goth Jannat Town Main Zabta e Ikhlaq Ki Khilaaf Warzi, Voters Ek Dusre Ko Dikha Kar Votes Cast Karahe Hain, Rangers Ka Lathi Charge Log Police Ko Subha Shaam Bura Kehte Hain,Zara Sheher Main Election Ke Dauraan Hune Wali Dhandli Per Election Commission Ki Tareef Bhi Karein,Hum Ajj Bhi Abhi Bhi Duty Per Hain Shiitenews shared Shiite News Media Watch's video: ‎مجلس وحدت مسلمین کے این اے 253 کے امیدوار اصغر عباس کو اغوا کر...‎ کوئٹہ PB 2 مئی غیر حتمی نتائج کے حساب سے MWM کے آغا رضا اور ن لیگ کے سہر گل کے درمیان سخت مقابلہ، HDP کے خالق ہزارہ میدان سے نہ تسلی بخش ووٹس کی وجہ سے ناکام ، ( الیکشن کمیشن ) POLLING STATION ALERT چاند بخیر غروب شد، دہ پس خیمہ ڈوب شد۔۔۔۔۔ پاک پروردگار عالم کے بہت بہت شکر گزار ہیں کے ہمارے تمام حمایت یافتہ امیدواروں N.A 221 قاسم آباد پر محترم سید امیر علی شاہ جاموٹ ، P.S 47 قاسم آباد پر محترم جام خان شورو، P.S 50 ٹنڈو جام پر محترم شرجیل انعام میمن اور P.S 55 ماتلی بدین پر بشیر احمد ہالیپوٹو کو کامیابی سے ہمکنار کیا (شکر الحمد الله) سید کاظم حسین شاہ نقوی جہانیاں (صوبائی نائب صدر شیعہ علما کونسل پاکستان سندھ aapnakharan Karachi: NA-246 Azizabad Se MQM Ky Nabeel Gabol 170,000 Votes Le Ker Jeet Gaye, Jamat e Islami Ky Umeedwar Ne 2300 Votes Liye. Polling station mein ABDUL KHALIQ per TUFFFO ki barish . ABDUL KHALIQ tufffo ki zad mein aa kar gheela ho chukay hai . Ahmad GOZAD per jutho ki barish ka sisila bhi ab shidath ikhtiyaar kar chuki hai . REZA WAKIL BAKUL SAR SAFEED ko chars peetay huway dekha gaya hai . http://www.geotauaisay.com/2013/05/haider-abad-mein-mqm-ki-khawateen-ki-dhandhli-ki-video-samny-agai/ http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xzrbeb_mqm-ki-dhandhli-be-naqab_news#.UY5GQnbcprA.twitter http://www.columnpk.com/mqm-rigging-video-in-karachi-election-2013/ ===================== کوئٹہ الیکشن 2013 الرٹ: غیر حتمی نتائج کے مطابق، ایچ ڈی پی سے گزارش : اب جبکہ مجلس وحدت مسلین جیت گیا ہے تو کیا فائدہ گلی اور سڑکوں میں نعرہ بازی اور ہوائی فائرنگ کرنے سے ۔ مہربانی کرکے ایسے اقدامات سے پرہیز کیا جائے اور اپنی شکست کو تسلیم کرے ۔ لبیک یا حسین پی۔ بی 1 کوئٹہ 1 سے مسلم لیگ ن کے طاہر محمود خان، پی۔ بی 2 کوئٹہ 2 سے مجلس وحدت مسلمین کے سید محمد رضا، پی۔ بی 6 کوئٹہ 6 سے پشتنخواہ ملی عوامی پارٹی کے منظور احمد کاکڑ، اور این۔ اے 259 سے پشتنخواہ ملی عوامی پارٹی کے محمود خان اچکزئی کامیاب قرار پائے۔ واضح رہے کہ پی۔ بی 6 اور این۔اے 259 میں کچھ پولنگ سٹیشن میں ووٹوں کی گنتی ابھی باقی ہے۔ هم سب لایک کرنے والوں کا تقاضا هے۔ ۔ ۔ هم سب لایک کرنے والے یہ درخواست کرتے ہیں کہ وحدت مسلمین کی صوبائی کابینہ بشمول آغا رضا اپنی خوشی میں تمام قوم کو شریک کریں اور اسی طرح ایچ ڈی پی کے دفتر جا کر انہیں بهی مبارکباد دیں اور یکجہتی کا اظہار کرتے هوئے ثابت کریں کہ واقعی وحدت مسلمین ہیں۔ اس طرح جیت کی خوشی کے ساتھ ساتھ قوم کیلئے دهری خوش خبریاں پہنچیں گی اور دشمن شدیدا مایوس هو گا۔ جو جو لوگ همارے موافق هیں٬ لایک اور شئیر کریں تاکہ تمام لوگوں تک یہ آواز پہنچ جائے۔ شکریہ Sardar Ishaq School polling result (male portion) MWM: 856 HDP: 762 Party Poling Station Vote HDP Qaleen Bafi Roi Broi wali Masjid 183 MWM 175 ... HDP Hazara Society Portion 1 421 Lead MWM HDP Hazara Society Portion 2 Leading MWM HDP Musa Colg 351 MWM 137 HDP Ishaq Khan Boys 308 MWM 140 HDP Islamabad Girls School 45 MWM 143 HDP Essa Khan girls School Portion 1 316 MWM 144 HDP Yazdan Khan 386 MWM 86 Primary qaidabad school Mardana: MWM: 165 HDP: 47 PML: 139 Syed M.Ali: 75 Islamabad School (male female) Total vote: MWM: 201 HDP: 37 S.gul : 93 حلقه نمبر10 اقراء اسکول میں پشتون خواه اور ن لیگ کی طرف سے خواتین مومنات کو ووٹ ڈالنے سے روکا جا رها هے. ہزارہ ڈیموکریٹک پارٹی کے خالق ہزارہ ہمیشہ کی طرح اس دفعہ بھی شکست کا شکار ..... wait for Some hour and I am very excited to hear that news.... کوئٹہ الرٹ: مسلم لیگ ن کے دہشتگرد امیدوار سحر گل خلجی کی اقرا پبلک سکول سمندر خان کے پولنگ سٹیشن میں شدید غنڈہ گردی. جدید اسلحہ سے لیس 15-20 غنڈے پولنگ سٹیشن میں گھس گئے اور تمام پولنگ عملے کو یرغمال بنا لیا. Alamdar Road علمدار روڈ Irqa school Mai Suba se Hazara Khawateen Ko Voting Dalne Se Roka jaraha tha. I was There..! 3 gante lage hai Mujhe Vote dalne mai. SHAME ON THIS POOR GOVERNMENT WITH IT'S DAMN POOR POLLING SYSTEM..! NAZREEN !!!!!!!!!!!!! Az Brori Fans mu da Polling Stations Update kada ki Chand Dana Males and Females Qad TASKEERA e Afghani Amda Baray Vote kado Waqt ki Allow nakd bs Shor munan,, علمدار روڈ‎ حلقہ پی بی 2 میں کانٹہ کا مقابلہ، MWM کے آغا رضا، HDP کے عبدلخالق اور PML N کے سحر گل میں ہورہا ہے، وٹنگ ٹرن آوٹ مثبت جارہا ہے، نوجوانوں کی خصوصی شرکت نظریں !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ١١ مئی کے چاند کے ڈوبنے کو چند گھنٹے باقی رہ گئے . اسی ساتھ کوئٹہ میں موجود داغ دار چاند بھی ہمیشہ کے لئے ڈوب جائے گا .. انشاللہ حلقہ پی بی 6 بروری سے HDP کے احمد کہزاد اور آزاد امیدوار مصطفی تیموری کے مابین مقابلہ HDP کی منافقت ..... HDP کے فیمیل ورکرز پولنگ اسٹیشنز میں MWM کے پوسٹرز خراب کر رہیں اہیں HDP Non Shia Party قوم کا غدار پارٹی !!! جو پارٹی اپنی مفادات کی خاطر اپنا دین چھوڑ سکتی ہے وہ قوم کا وفا دار نہیں ہو سکتی ۔ اور یہ کوئی عجیب بات نہیں اس لیے کہ انہوں نے ثابت بھی کردیا ہے کہ یہ قوم کہ خیر خواہ نہیں اس لیے کہ انہوں نے ھزارہ قوم کو ان 15 سالوں مین علمدار روڑ اور بروری کہ دو بند گلیوں تک محدود کردیا ۔ ایک اسلامی جمھوری ملک میں اپنے دیندار قوم کو بے دین بنا دیا جس ملک میں سیکولرزم کے پیجز بلاک ہوتے ہیں اسی ملک میں یہ ھزارہ قوم کو سیکولر اور لیبرل دکھا رہے ہیں ۔15 سالوں سے انکی کوئی بھی قابل ذکر کارکردگی نہیں ہے بلکہ انکے منفی کارنامے سے قوم کا بچہ بچہ آگاہ ہے۔ قوم کے اندر مختلف قسم کے نفرتوں اور دوریوں کو پیلانے والی پارٹی ہمیں غیر اقوام کیساتھ کیسے متحد کر سکتی ہے ؟؟؟؟ یہ ہمارے خیر خواہ نہیں ہوسکتے ۔ کوئٹہ PB 2 سے مصطفیٰ تموری کو واضح اکثریت حاصل ہیں . (الیکشن کمیشن ) ========= Bomb blasts cast shadow over Pakistan's milestone election Sat, May 11 03:58 AM EDT 1 of 7 By Katharine Houreld and Mehreen Zahra-Malik ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A string of militant attacks cast a long shadow over Pakistan's general election on Saturday, but millions still turned out to vote in a landmark test of the troubled country's democracy. The poll, in which some 86 million people are eligible to vote, will bring the first transition between civilian governments in a country ruled by the military for more than half of its turbulent history. A bomb attack on the office of the Awami National Party (ANP) in the commercial capital, Karachi, killed 11 people and wounded 35. At least two were wounded in a pair of blasts that followed and media reported gunfire in the city. An explosion destroyed an ANP office in the northwest. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Television channels also reported an explosion in the city of Peshawar. Pakistan's Taliban, who are close to al Qaeda, have killed more than 120 people in election-related violence since April. The group, which is fighting to topple the U.S.-backed government, regards the elections as un-Islamic. The Taliban have focused their anger on secular-leaning parties like the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the ANP. Many candidates, fearful of being assassinated, avoided open campaigning before the election. The people of Pakistan hope the polls will deliver change and ease frustrations with the Taliban, a frail economy, endemic corruption, chronic power cuts and crumbling infrastructure. Disenchantment with the two mainstream parties appears to have brought a late surge of support for former cricket star Imran Khan, who could end up holding the balance of power. Khan, 60, is in hospital after injuring himself in a fall at a party rally, which may also win him sympathy votes. Results from nearly 70,000 polling stations nationwide are expected to start tricking in from around 10 p.m. (1700 GMT). "The problems facing the new government will be immense, and this may be the last chance that the country's existing elites have to solve them," said Anatol Lieven, a professor at King's College, London, and author of a book on Pakistan. "If the lives of ordinary Pakistanis are not significantly improved over the next five years, a return to authoritarian solutions remains a possibility," Lieven wrote in a column in the Financial Times. The army stayed out of politics during the five years of the last government, but it still sets the nuclear-armed country's foreign and security policy and will steer the thorny relationship with Washington as NATO troops withdraw from neighboring Afghanistan next year. With no clear-cut winner, weeks of haggling to form a coalition will follow, which would raise the risk that the government is undermined by instability. That would only make it more difficult to reverse the disgust with politicians felt among the country's 180 million people and drive through the reforms needed to revive its near-failed economy. Power cuts can last more than 10 hours a day in some places, crippling key industries like textiles, and a new International Monetary Fund bailout may be needed soon. The party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif looks set to win the most seats in the one-day vote. But Khan could deprive Sharif of a majority and dash his hopes for a return to power 14 years after he was ousted in a military coup, jailed and later exiled. Pakistan's best-known sportsman, who led a playboy lifestyle in his younger days, Khan is seen by many as a refreshing change from the dynastic politicians who long relied on a patronage system to win votes and are often accused of corruption. LATE SURGE FOR IMRAN KHAN Voters will elect 272 members of the National Assembly and to win a simple majority, a party would have to take 137 seats. However, the election is complicated by the fact that a further 70 seats, most reserved for women and members of non- Muslim minorities, are allocated to parties on the basis of their performance in the contested constituencies. To have a majority of the total of 342, a party would need 172. Khan appeals mostly to young, urban voters because of his calls for an end to corruption, a new political landscape and a halt to U.S. drone strikes on Pakistani soil. About one-third of the country's population is under the age of 30. Early opinion polls had put the share of votes for Khan's Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) party as low as single figures. However, a survey released on Wednesday showed nearly 25 percent of voters nationally planned to vote for his party, just a whisker behind Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N). The Herald magazine poll showed Sharif's party remained the front-runner in Punjab, which, with the largest share of parliamentary seats, usually dictates the outcome of elections. It also pointed to an upset for the PPP, placing it third. Pakistan's politics have long been dominated by the PML-N and the PPP, whose most prominent figure is President Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto.

"The PPP didn't take care of the poor masses and always engages in corrupt practices whenever they come to power," said Sher Nabi, a banker from Peshawar. "So we've decided to vote for the PTI candidate this time and test Imran Khan to see if he proves as honest as he claims."

Pakistan, which prides itself on its democratic credentials, ordered the New York Times bureau chief in Islamabad to leave the country on the eve of the polls, the daily said on Friday. A two-sentence letter was delivered by police officers to the home of the bureau chief, Declan Walsh, it said. "It is informed that your visa is hereby canceled in view of your undesirable activities," the Times quoted the letter as saying, without explaining what was undesirable. "You are therefore advised to leave the country within 72 hours." (Writing by John Chalmers and Michael Georgy; Additional reporting by Gul Yousafzai in QUETTA, Mubasher Bukhari in LAHORE and Jibran Ahmed in PESHAWAR; Editing by Nick Macfie) ============= Election Day bombings sweep Pakistan: Over 20 killed, almost 200 injured (LIVE UPDATES) Get short URL Published time: May 11, 2013 05:35 Edited time: May 11, 2013 15:58 Pakistani residents gather at the site of a bomb explosion in Karachi on May 11, 2013. (AFP Photo; AP video shows the aftermath of the first blasts to hit Karachi on the election day) Tweet Share on Tumblr Embed Tags Crime, Election, Blast, Security, Pakistan Violence was reported across Pakistan as millions vote in landmark elections, the first peaceful turnover of power in the country’s 66-year history. The Taliban has vowed further attacks amid a string of blasts and shootings rocking the country. 15:22 GMT: #Pakistan election violence: #MSF teams have treated 110+ blast victims in Hangu, Kurram Agency and Lower Dir w/ MoH in last 5 days alone — MSF UK Press Office (@MSF_Press) May 11, 2013 15:01 GMT: A loud blast has been heard near New Nazimabad Gate in Karachi, according to Radio Pakistan. At least two people are reportedly killed and three others injured in what appears to be a suicide attack. This is a fifth explosion to hit the coastal city on the election day. 14:58 GMT: Proud of Pakistanis who have voted today, ignored Taliban threats and risked their lives. #VoteTeerKa #Vote4PPP #JiyalayTeerChala — Bakhtawar Bhutto Z (@BakhtawarBZ) May 11, 2013 13:09 GMT: One person was killed and five others injured in a clash between two armed groups of the Pakistan People’s Party and one of its breakaway factions – PPP SB (Shaheed Bhutto) – in Dadu, a town in Sindh Province, local media reported. 13:00 GMT: Polling stations are closing. Ballot counting begins. 12:41 GMT: A polling station outside the Islamia School in Nawabshah, Sindh Province, was set ablaze by unidentified men, Dawn.com reported. 12:32 GMT: Gunshots were heard in the city of Nawabshah, south-eastern Pakistan, local media reported. 11:44 GMT: A total of 25 people have been killed and 198 injured across Pakistan in Election Day violence, Dawn.com reported. Most of the victims are from the city of Karachi. 11:33 GMT: Clashes and grenade attacks between two rival groups left four people dead and 23 injured in the Balochistan towns of Chaman and Kuchlak in the north-west of Baluchistan Province, local media quoted police as saying. 11:12 GMT: Clashes between rivaling supporters have temporarily suspended voting in Naushahro Feroze’s NA 212 constituency, local media stated. Polling was also put on hold at a high school in Nawabshah 214 constituency, after a man was discovered allegedly stamping ballot papers at a women's booth. 10:32 GMT: Another National Assembly candidate was kidnapped in Karachi, Geo News reported. Eyewitnesses report firing at Shaheen Public School#Karachi NA253 #GeoElections — Geo English (@geonews_english) May 11, 2013 10:26 GMT: Seven people were injured in a blast at Peshawar’s Khazana High School, Express News reported. A child and police officials were among the injured. A quick response force and bomb disposal squad are on the scene. 09:51 GMT: At least five people were injured after gunmen fired shots at the northwestern Khyber tribal agency, local newspapers stated. 09:45 GMT: A fourth blast rocked Karachi, injuring five, local media reported. The bomb was planted in a car near a polling station. 09:40 GMT: Shots fired near a polling station in Chaman, Baluchistan, have killed four, and two cars were set ablaze, according to local media. 09:26 GMT: A school in southern Pakistan’s Kati Pahari was seized by armed men, who kicked out people who were casting ballots and voted on their behalf, Dawn.com reported. 09:02 GMT: Polling in Kashmore's Karampur district was closed after violent clashes saw one dead and eight injured, local media reported. 09:01 GMT: At least 20 people were injured at different polling stations in the western city of Sukkur. Also, an unidentified assailant in Sukkur fired at the vehicle of Sindh's former special assistant, Chief Minister Pehlaj Mall. 08:55 GMT: Several polling stations were closed in Thull district near Jacobabad due to violent clashes between rival groups that injured multiple people, Dawn.com reported. 08:54 GMT: A bus explosion in Karachi’s Peerabad area of Qasba Colony killed ten and injured several others, local media reported. 08:40 GMT: A hand grenade attack shut down polling in Karachi’s Baldia Town. Police have cordoned off the area. 08:30 GMT: The death toll in the Karachi blast has risen to 11, AFP reported. 08:28 GMT: A hand grenade attack killed six people at an ANP polling camp in Kuchlak, Quetta District in Pakistan's Balochistan. 08:27 GMT: An explosion at Toorghar in Peshawar killed two police officers and injured four others, Radio Pakistan reported. 08:02 GMT: Polling in northeastern Charsadda was suspended after clashes injured five. 08:01 GMT: Three dead, five injured in clashes at a polling station in Chaman, Pakistan, according to local media. 07:45 GMT: The son of senior leader Imtiaz Shaikh of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-F) was injured in a clash between two opposing political groups in Shikarpur, Pakistan, Dawn.com reported. 07:40 GMT: Two explosions were heard in central Balochistan, Pakistan, with at least one person reportedly killed and seven injured. Militants targeted voters casting their ballots, local media quoted police as saying. 07:36 GMT: Two more people were injured in a blast in southern city of Hub. #Pakistan: 15 people reportedly injured in a blast outside polling station in Mardan. sixth blast of the day with... fb.me/2dLHSiJSd — Lucy Kafanov (@LucyKafanov) May 11, 2013 07:20 GMT: A polling station was bombed in Pakistan’s Swabi district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. 07:15 GMT: An explosion was heard near the ANP political office, Al Jazeera reported. 07:09 GMT: A blast was reported near a police station in Saddar, and shots were fired in Bannu, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, local media reported. 07:07 GMT: A polling station has been bombed in the northeastern town of Jamrud. 07:06 GMT: The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast in Karachi, AFP reported. "We proudly claim responsibility for this attack, we carried it out and will carry out more of the same," Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said. 06:40 GMT: Two were killed during a shootout between two political groups at a polling station at the state Renalkhurd boys high school, local media reported. 06:30 GMT: A blast strikes a school designated as a polling station on Peshawar’s Charsadda Road, injuring 12 people. Rescue teams are on their way to the site, Dawn.com reported. 06:15 GMT: Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso condemned the Karachi blasts, and ordered immediate medical treatment for the injured, Radio Pakistan reported. 06:10 GMT: A child aged three to four was among the injured in the twin blasts in Karachi, according to AP video footage. PHOTO: Kids among injured as election day deadly bombings sweep Pakistan #PakVotes #Karachi twitter.com/RT_com/status/… — RT (@RT_com) May 11, 2013 06:00 GMT: Two bombs rocked Karachi, Pakistan killing over ten people and injuring around 50 as the country votes in its first-ever democratic election. One of the blasts targeted an election candidate. The blasts targeted the political offices of the Awami National Party (ANP), one of three secular liberal parties that have been battered by Taliban attacks, AFP quoted police officer Shabir Hussain as saying. One blast was reported in the Landhi area of the port city, according to local media. ANP candidate Aman Ullah escaped unharmed from a bomb targeting him, local media reported. Another explosion was reported in Karachi’s Quaidabad near a polling station, damaging the window panes of several buildings and destroying eight shops. ================== NA 250 – The sham Shyema Sajjad | 15 hours ago NA – 250. Female voters wait patiently for voting to begin. -Photo by Saman Ghani Khan It’s 5:30 pm . I was supposed to be at work by now with my colleagues, anticipating the result to what was being termed as a “historic” election. Instead I have now returned home after standing for 10 hours in line without being able to vote. It wasn’t as if the line up was too long (which it was, but I was number four in line), it was just that polling hadn’t started in our station yet. At 7:30 am my family enthusiastically grabbed water bottles and their ID cards and took off to vote. When we got there we were told the staff wasn’t there yet. The voters of NA-250 (Phase IV) passed smirks and smiles shaking their head at the lack of punctuality of the ECP officials. Little did we know the situation would remain the same 10 hours later – but by then, no one was passing around smiles. It was a weird mixture of rage and resilience as the day went by. We stood firm as news came from family in Lahore and other areas of Karachi that they managed to get inside and vote. We believed our turn would come soon. As I type this, there are hundreds of others still believing that and standing in line to get inside a polling station that has no staff to conduct polls. Contradictory statements kept coming in all day from the staff inside. First they said there were no ballot boxes present. The crowd was astonished – they thought this would be the biggest setback – no one had any idea at that time that from a required staff of 65 ECP officials, only 12 were present. That number eventually diminished to nine when some of them managed to sneak out from the gate and disappeared, without looking back. The boxes eventually arrived at 12:30 pm. They were brought in by PTI workers who had a long journey ahead of them. Apparently, the ballot boxes were not being allowed to be taken away from the city courts, and it was these workers who managed to get them through and then went around delivering them in all polling stations of NA-250. Lidless boxes, stamps and ink was passed around from hand to hand in hopes this would lead us to casting our vote soon. It didn’t happen. The crowd of voters increased hour by hour – hope rose each time someone went in through the gate – perhaps this would be the person who would be responsible for giving us the good news? Each of them came out with sheepish looks of embarrassment and walked away. The policemen stood outside all day long in the heat with us, drenched in their thick uniforms, shrugging at us voters – they were as helpless as we were. As the heat grew and our faces burned, the elderly started returning to their cars no longer being able to cope. They promised the younger voters that they would return once polling started. The younger lot grew agitated but knew better than to leap on each other – for it seemed as if a provocation was all that was needed to call this a failure. But now as the evening sets in and results roll across televisions, I wonder if there’s any point returning to my polling station. It didn’t happen within the past 10 hours, will it happen now? Family and friends keep urging us to return and not to give up, but when do you call quits? I went there to cast my vote, not sit at the mercy of forces who won’t allow me my fundamental right. I thought this would be the time of change, of new energy and new hopes. It’s almost 6:00 pm now, my family member still in line tells me there is still no sign of voting starting yet. The thought of returning to my polling station causes me more dread and disappointment than fatigue – but if polling does open, I might as well return – I survived through the past five years, I’m sure I can fight for another five hours. ==========