Thai counts votes in early polls with 3 main parties vying for power
dickson city: Bangkok, Feb 8 (AP) Vote counting was underway in Thailand’s early general election on Sunday, seen as a three-way race among competing visions of progressive, populist and old-fashioned patronage politics. The battle for support from 53 million registered voters comes against a backdrop of slow economic growth and heightened nationalist sentiment. While more than 50 parties are contesting the polls, only three — the People’s Party, Bhumjaithai, and Pheu Thai — have the nationwide organisation and popularity to gain a winning mandate. A simple majority of the 500 elected lawmakers selects the next prime minister.
Parts of Balochistan shut down on opposition alliance’s call
karachi: Parts of Balochistan came to a standstill on Sunday after a call for a complete shutter down and traffic strike by an opposition alliance to mark the anniversary of February 8, 2024 Pakistan general elections, which they allege were rigged. The strike call was given by Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain Pakistan (TTAP), the united front of all opposition political parties, including incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the country. After the February 8, 2024 general elections, Khan had called the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the PPP as ‘mandate thieves’ alleging that they rigged the election.