India condemns terror attacks in Pakistan
New Delhi, July 15 : India has strongly condemned the latest series of terror attacks in poll-bound Pakistan that have claimed over 150 lives.
"Three tragic terrorist attacks have hit the people of Pakistan within a short span of 3-4 days," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.
"More than 150 innocent people have lost their lives and hundreds have been injured," it stated.
Stating that "more disturbing is the fact that these attacks took place on election rallies, essential to the democratic process", it said: "India has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We strongly condemn these attacks and extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families."
A number of bombings at political rallies over the past one week have shattered peace in Pakistan ahead of the July 25 polls, with the latest in the string being a devastating suicide attack in Balochistan on Friday that killed at least 132 people.
Amid intensified election campaigning, attacks in different areas of the country have stoked fear of more violence.
Provincial authorities said the suicide bomber on Friday detonated in the middle of a compound in Mastung's Darengarh area where a political meeting was in progress.
The Pakistan government has declared Sunday as a day of national mourning over the attacks in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The attack in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Friday left four dead and nearly 40 injured.
On July 10, ANP candidate from Peshawar, Haroon Bilour, and 19 others were killed in an attack targeting the party's election meeting.
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Followed poll processes transparently, will review all legitimate concerns: EC to Cong
New Delhi (PTI): The Election Commission on Saturday asserted that all poll procedures it followed in Maharashtra were transparent and assured that it would review all legitimate concerns flagged by the Congress, which alleged serious inconsistencies.
In its interim response to the party, the poll authority invited a Congress delegation on December 3 to discuss concerns expressed by it.
The Congress on Friday raised with the Election Commission "serious and grave inconsistencies" which it said were being revealed in the data relating to the polling and counting processes for the recently-concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls and sought an in-person hearing to present relevant evidence.
In the response, the EC reiterated that the process was transparent with the involvement of candidates or their agents at every stage.
The commission also assured of a review of the Congress' legitimate concerns and a written response after hearing the party's delegation in person.
It asserted that a transparent electoral roll updation process was undertaken with the involvement of all political parties.
Responding to the issue regarding the voter turnout data, the EC asserted that there was no discrepancy in it and the data was available with all candidates polling station-wise and is verifiable.
The gap in the 5 pm polling data and the final voter turnout was due to procedural priorities, as presiding officers perform multiple statutory duties near the close of polling before updating the voter turnout data.
As an additional disclosure measure, an EC press note at around 11:45 pm was introduced during the 2024 Lok Sabha election and followed subsequently during all assembly polls thereafter, the poll body told the Congress.
