Bomber kills 31 as Pakistanis go to polls

A suicide bomber on a motorcycle has killed at least 31 people outside a busy polling station in the Pakistani city of Quetta, casting a dark shadow on a historic day as people voted in national elections.

The attack in the capital of Baluchistan province underlined the difficulties this majority Muslim nation faces on its journey towards sustained democracy, as it attempts to elect its third consecutive civilian government.

The bombing also wounded 35 people, with several reported to be critical, raising concerns the death toll could rise.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s election commission spokesman Nadeem Qasim said the body had issued a notice to aspiring prime minister Imran Khan, saying his vote could be disqualified after he cast his ballot in front of TV cameras, violating “the secrecy of the ballot paper” as enshrined in the constitution.

Images showed a smiling Mr Khan with his ballot paper in front of him as he marked the ballot.