Polls shut in Pakistan election after mobile phone services cut for millions

In a chaotic and controversial election, upsets are being predicted, ITV News's Martha Fairlie reports

Polls have closed in Pakistan after mobile phone services were suspended while millions voted for the country's next government.

Results of the ballot are expected to be announced in the early hours of Friday.

Pakistan's Interior Ministry said it made the decision to cut services to prevent further unrest, but supporters of jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan have said it amounts to a "severe assault on democracy".

The decision comes after twin bombings killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan. The so-called Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for both attacks.

Tens of thousands of security forces were deployed at polling stations across the country as voting took place on Thursday, with the risk of violence continuing to loom.

In the northwest of Pakistan, attackers set off a bomb and opened fire on a police van, killing five officers.

Gunmen, meanwhile, were engaged in separate skirmishes with Pakistani soldiers, killing at least one serviceman.

Nobody has yet claimed responsibility for either of the attacks.

The build-up to Pakistan's latest election has been marred by allegations from Mr Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party that its candidates were denied a fair chance at campaigning.

But a Pakistani political commentator has told ITV News that the turnout has not been as low as initially predicted with the blackout, and Mr Khan has still received floods of support.

'There has been a change, I have observed,' Pakistani political commentator Arsalan Khalid told ITV News

Many have still voted for his party by opting for those running as independent candidates, leaving the result of the election more ambiguous than many suspected.

"There has been a change, this time, that I have observed," Arsalan Khalid said.

"Those who were not part of the system or didn't believe in the system or (that) their vote could matter... They have come out and cast their vote.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...

Mr Khan, who continues to lead the party, was jailed last month for a number of separate offences, including corruption and revealing state secrets.

As many as 44 political parties are vying for a share of the 266 seats that are up for grabs in the National Assembly - or the lower house of parliament - while an additional 70 seats are reserved for women and minorities in the 336-seat house.

After the election, the new parliament will choose the country's next prime minister, although Pakistan's deep political divisions make a coalition government seem the more likely outcome.

If no single party wins a simple majority, the group which places first will get a chance to form a coalition government, relying on allies in the house.

Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League, is expected to win a fourth term should his party achieve a majority.

The Pakistan Muslim League will be rivalled by the Pakistan People's Party, whose leader, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, is seen as a rising star in Pakistani politics.

Mr Bhutto-Zadari is the son of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and has most recently served as Pakistan's foreign minister.

This year's election comes at a delicate time for Pakistan - a nuclear-armed country in a region rife with hostile boundaries and tense relations.

Containing civil unrest, tackling a spiraling economy and stemming illegal migration are some of the major issues that Pakistan's next government will have to tackle.

Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every week Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…