Boycott elections as militant option only way to resolve Pakistan's problems: Al-Qaeda in Nawai Ghazwa Hind magazine

As Pakistan goes to polls today amid heavy security deployment, pan-Islamist militant organisation Al-Qaeda on Thursday published the February 2024 edition of its flagship Urdu magazine Nawai Ghazwa Hind, urging Pakistanis to abstain from elections. According to a post shared on X by Abd. Sayed, a research analyst focusing on jihadism, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, the 99-page magazine suggested that the militant option is the only way to resolve all the nation’s problems and implement an Islamic system in the country. Pakistanis today are voting in the general elections in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is hoping to secure a record fourth term with the backing of the powerful military amid a crackdown on his rival Imran Khan’s party and rising in violence. Amid tight security, the polling started at 8.00 am and will continue without any break till 5.00 pm. Soon after the voting started, mobile services in Pakistan were suspended due to the “deteriorating security situation”, a day after twin terror attacks killed at least 30 people. The border crossing with Afghanistan and Iran will also remain closed both for cargo and pedestrians on Thursday due to security reasons. A countrywide public holiday has been declared to enable a total of 128 million registered voters to cast their votes and elect a new government that they hope will stabilise the country’s economy. The counting will start soon after the conclusion of the voting. With inputs from agencies