LAHORE – Heavy rain lashed out the provincial capital on the elections day,raising fears of low turnout.
Voters earlier today were enthusiastic to user their democratic rightdespite the intense humid weather. But it is unclear whether the peoplewill turn out in the rain to cast their votes.
The leaders of all major political parties, including Imran Khan,Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, have urged the nation to comeout to take part in the polling.
Pakistan is holding general elections today for which the polling procedurehas started, with over 1,2000 candidates vying for 270 national and 570provincial assembly seats.
As many as 105.96 million people will be able to use their right to votefrom 8 am till 6 pm without any formal break. Twenty-three percent of thetotal voters would be taking part in the exercise for the first time.
Earlier, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted a new spell ofrain, expected to start from Tuesday.
The spell would last till Sunday and cities that are likely to experienceconsiderable rainfall any time during the s said period include Lahore,Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Malakand, Hazara, Mardan,Peshawar, and Kohat, as well as Kashmir, the PMD forecasted.
Moreover, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP),Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Bahawalpur in Punjab,Zhob and Kalat in Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) are also predictedto experience strong winds, with thunderous rainfall and lightning.