Pakistan Voting: So far, so good.

Low turnout, peaceful polling in Pakistan.

As polling closed in Pakistan’s most-watched general elections on Monday and the counting of votes got under way, cadres of the Pakistan People’s Party and Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N) began taking out jubilant processions in anticipation of victory while gloom descended over the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), the former ruling party and ally of President Pervez Musharraf.

The Election Commission will announce official results only on Tuesday, but unofficial vote counts at individual polling stations were giving the PPP and the PML(N) leads over the PML (Q) at many places.

Contrary to widespread fears, polling day passed off without any major untoward incident, and none of the major political parties came up with any complaints of rigging or any other irregularities. Sporadic incidents of violence and irregularities were reported from some places, and over 80 people were arrested country-wide.

Despite a relatively peaceful day, voter turnout was uniformly low throughout the country. The Election Commission did not release numbers, but media reports estimated that the turnout might be lower than the 41 per cent in 2002.
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