"Pakistan election 2018: bomb and shooting attacks leave many dead as polls open – live"

The (U.K.) Guardian is live-blogging the election. Good for them.

"Violence across country as millions go to the polls to decide between cricket legend Imran Khan and brother of disgraced former PM Nawaz Sharif for PM"

Full story: Pakistanis vote after bitterly contested campaign

Pakistan elections: who is standing and what is at stake?

11 Minutes Ago

What we know so far

• Polls opened at 8am local across Pakistan.
• Over the course of the day, Pakistan’s 106 million registered voters will have the chance to choose new provincial assemblies, a new parliament, and potentially a new prime minister.
• Violent attacks have already occurred across the country in the first few hours of voting.
• At least 22 people have been killed in an apparent suicide bomb attack in Quetta, the troubled capital of the Balochistan province. Authorities have warned the death toll from this attack could rise further.
•  One person was killed and three injured after PTI supporters exchanged fire with those from the securalist Awami National Party (ANP) in Swabi, a city in the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Police are also investigating a grenade attack in Larkana, in the southern province of Sindh, the home of the Bhutto family. No fatalities have been reported from this attack so far.
• The election is seen as a two-horse race between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), which is led by Shehbaz Sharif, the brother of disgraced former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former cricketer Imran Khan.
• Many expect the vote to result in a hung parliament. If it does, some of the 27 smaller groups may hope to play kingmaker.
• There have been allegations of military interference throughout the campaign period and there has been deadly violence including a suicide bomb that killed 132 people.

*********