Pakistan election: violence mars voting process, 5 police officers killed

Five police officers were killed and two were injured in an attack as Pakistan votes to elect a new government. With voting underway on Thursday, gunmen set off a bomb and opened fire in the Dera Ismail Khan district, as per Associated Press. Mobile phone services were suspended in the country on voting day after at least 30 people were killed in twin blasts a day before.

Nearly 650,000 security personnel have been deployed across the country after the deadly attack on the eve of the elections. The border crossing with Afghanistan and Iran will also remain closed both for cargo and pedestrians on Thursday due to security reasons.

A countrywide public holiday has been declared to enable a total of 128 million registered voters to cast their votes and elect a new government that they hope will stabilize the country's economy.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, a total of 5,121 candidates are in the race for the National Assembly seats. These include 4,807 male, 312 female and two transgenders. For the four provincial assemblies, 12,695 candidates are in the field including 12,123 males, 570 women and two transgenders.

(With PTI inputs)

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