Pakistan's Who's Who vote in knife-edge election

Leaders of prominent political parties cast their votes as people came out in droves to vote in a knife-edge general election on Wednesday, pitting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Imran Khan against jailed ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif cast his vote in Model Town, Lahore. Speaking to the media, the younger brother of the former Prime Minister urged the masses to vote for the PML-N to change the country's destiny.

"Today will be the day PML-N will emerge victorious," he said.

PTI chief Imran Khan cast his vote in an Islamabad constituency from where he is also contesting. Speaking to the media, he urged the public to vote in order to defeat the status quo.

United Nations and the United States-declared terrorist and Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed also cast his vote in Johar Town, Lahore. Saeed also carries a bounty of $10 million.

Pakistan People's Party supremo Asif Ali Zardari cast his vote in Nawabshah while party chairman and his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari voted in Larkana.

President Mamnoon Hussain voted along with his wife in Karachi while interim Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk cast his vote at the Swat polling station. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar cast his ballot in Lahore.

Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and his wife cast their votes in Rawalpindi while former Army chief General Raheel Sharif (Retd.) voted in Lahore.

Begum Shamim Sharif, mother of Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif, voted in Lahore's Islamia College. She was taken inside the polling station in a wheelchair.

Among others who voted were former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam's Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and Cricket legend Wasim Akram and his mother.

Veteran actress and producer Samina Peerzada shared a picture on Twitter holding out her inked thumb. Actress Mawra Hocane also tweeted her picture with the caption "voted".

--IANS

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