PAKISTANIS braved cold winter weather and the threat of violence to go to the polls to elect a new parliament today.

This came a day after twin bombings claimed at least 30 lives in the worst election-related violence ahead of the contested ballot.

Authorities suspended mobile phone services across the country which the country’s Interior Ministry said was done to maintain law and order. It did not say when the suspension would be lifted.

Unidentified assailants threw hand grenades at two polling stations in Baluchistan province, where twin bombings hit separate election offices on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people and wounding more than a dozen others. 

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the two bombings.

The grenades on Thursday caused panic among voters but no-one was hurt, police said.

In north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, gunmen opened fire on troops in the town of Kot Azam, killing a soldier, local police official Fiyyaz Khan said. 

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for that attack.

The election has also been marred by allegations from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan that its candidates were denied a fair chance at campaigning.

The cricket star turned politician was ousted by a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022 and is behind bars and banned from running in the election, though he still commands a massive following. 

Mr Khan’s party denounced the suspension of the mobile phone services, calling it a “cowardly attempt by those in power to stifle dissent, manipulate the election’s outcome and infringe upon the rights of the Pakistani people.”

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.

An additional 70 seats are reserved for women and minorities in the 336-seat house.