Voting begins for Pakistan general election
Islamabad, July 25 : Voters in large numbers started flocking outside polling stations across the country on Wednesday to cast their vote in Pakistans 11th general election, according to DawnNewsTV.
The first vote was cast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda.
While polling stations officially opened for voting at 8 a.m., enthusiastic citizens queued up outside their respective stations as early as 7 a.m.
The battle is set to come down to three parties: Shahbaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
July 25 has been declared a public holiday by the Election Commission of Pakistan, in an effort to increase voter participation.
A record number of 3,71,388 security personnel have been deployed at polling stations across the country to maintain law and order and take action against harassment, after the nation witnessed one of the bloodiest campaigning.
According to a poll official, 5,878 polling stations have been declared "highly sensitive" -- official euphemism to mean they are prone to violence -- in Sindh; 5,487 in Punjab and Islamabad; 3,874 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA and 1,768 in Balochistan.
Polling stations will remain open for voting till 6 p.m.
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Airlines to operate 48 flights per hour, says UAE Min.; Here’s what you need to know ?
Abu Dhabi: UAE’s Minister for Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri has announced that the UAE has opened safe air corridors in coordination with gulf countries, Gulf News reported.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri also stated that at present the handling capacity is 48 flights per hour.
“The capacity as of today, based on the emergency routes available, is 48 flights per hour with a possibility of increasing this figure at a later stage, according to the latest development and security ratings and measures,” the UAE based English daily quoted the Minister as saying.
The Minister furthermore stated that from March 1 to March 3, a total of 17,498 passengers travelled on 60 flights. In the next phase, 80 flights are scheduled with national carriers, totalling 27,000 passengers. He said the following phases would be launched based on how the security situation evolves and when conditions are deemed safe.
However, regular commercial operations of Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Air Arabia are yet to resume. flydubai has begun limited operations.
Speaking on the reopening of airspace, the Minister clarified that the General Civil Aviation Authority is conducting ongoing coordination and monitoring with partners to assess developments and enable a gradual and safe return of air navigation in the country’s airspace.
As part of the response, limited operational flights have begun to facilitate the return of citizens and residents.
He said, “Airspace safety and human safety will always remain our first priority.”
The Minister urged affected passengers not to proceed to airports unless contacted directly by their airlines, in order to avoid congestion and ensure the smooth flow of travellers during this phase.
UAE airports and national carriers, including Etihad, Emirates, flydubai, and Air Arabia, have instructed passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have received a call from the airline asking them to do so.
According to the newspaper, all airlines have resumed limited operations, with priority being given to stranded passengers. In the meantime, the Minister said the government has agreed to cover expenses for stranded tourists' stay and food.
He said, “the UAE economy has proven its resilience in absorbing pressures generated by geopolitical and regional challenges,” and reaffirmed that economic stability remains firmly intact.
On the safe air corridors, the Minister said they were established in coordination with neighbouring countries and Gulf Cooperation Council states, as well as with the International Civil Aviation Organization, activating approved regional emergency aviation plans.
He explained that the current emergency routing capacity allows for 48 flights per hour, with the possibility of gradually increasing that number in line with developments and safety assessments.
The Minister also said that the UAE economy has demonstrated strong resilience and maintained stability with high efficiency despite geopolitical and regional pressures.
He said the country adopted proactive and flexible strategies that strengthened the economy and enhanced its ability to absorb external shocks, including previous crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and other regional and international challenges.
