Pakistan Occupied kashmir: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2008

19 people were killed and 157 others were injured in countrywide election-related violence on February 18, caretaker Interior Minister Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz told Dawn. However, according to independent reports, the number of casualties may be higher. The minister said that nine died in Punjab, seven in Sindh and three in NWFP. He did not give any casualty figures for Balochistan, where four people were reported to have been killed. According to independent reports, the overall death toll in the country was 26. "Despite 19 deaths, the government considers the election quite peaceful with no incident of terrorism in any part of the country… We are happy that neither any incident of terrorism nor any obstacle in the election process was reported in the country," the caretaker minister said. Private TV channels reported that clashes between supporters of different political parties occurred in Khairpur, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Kamoki, Mirpur, Jacobabad, Muzzafargarh, Mandi Bahauddin, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Charsadda, Sukkur, Gujar Khan, Shikarpur, Hangu, Gakharmandi, Sialkot, Samandri, Sanghar and Peshawar. Polling is reported to have begun at a slow pace as voters appeared to be wary of violence. However, as the day progressed, the voter turnout improved and according to unconfirmed reports, it is estimated to be 35 percent. Ambassadors of UK, US, Japan, China, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Iran, South Asian Association of Regional Corporation (SAARC) and European Union Countries visited different polling stations in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and expressed their satisfaction over polling process, security arrangements and performance of elections staff. The government has deployed 81,000 troops and nearly 400,000 police personnel to provide security to the more than 64,000 polling stations, a third of which had been declared sensitive. The Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Qazi Muhammad Farooq said on February 18-night that the Election Commission had fulfilled its responsibility to hold free, fair and transparent elections, Associated Press of Pakistan reported. "We have not received any complaints so far, but if we receive any, action would be taken," he said. Read less...