Pakistan: polling stations open amid tight security
(Vatican Radio) Polls are open and voters are casting ballots all across Pakistan
in general elections that see the country’s first transition from one elected civilian
government to another elected civilian government in the entire 66-year history of
the country. Queues started forming before polling stations opened at 08:00 Pakistani
time on Saturday. Tens of thousands of government soldiers are guarding polling stations,
in the wake of threats from the Pakistani Taliban. Hours before polls opened, Pakistan
sealed its borders with Iran and Afghanistan as part of efforts to keep foreign militants
from entering the country. Borders are to stay closed for the coming three days. The
run-up to the landmark elections has also been marred by violence in which more than
100 people have been killed. Listen:
The nation
of 176 million people is choosing among three major candidates for prime minister:
former prime minister Nawaz Sharif; former cricketer Imran Khan, who recently suffered
grave injury in an accident at a campaign rally; and political scion Bilawal Bhutto
Zardari, who is the only son of president Asif ali Zardari and slain former Prime
Minister Benazir Bhutto.