Millions of Pakistanis started voting on Thursday to elect a new government amid increasing inflation and a surge in terrorist incidents.

The polling started in the federal capital at 8:00am and would continue until 5:00 pm without any break. Queues of voters were seen outside polling booths waiting to cast votes.

The election comes almost two years since the previous prime minister, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, was ousted in a no-confidence vote. Many analysts have termed three-time PM Nawaz Sharif as a frontrunner in the election.

The caretaker government also suspended mobile services minutes before voting began. Both calls and data services have been suspended, though Wifi networks still appear to be working.

Over 128 million registered voters will exercise their democratic right, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The polling is being held for 265 seats of the National Assembly and 590 seats of provincial assemblies. The voting is taking place on 51 seats of the Balochistan Assembly, 128 out of 130 seats of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 296 out of 297 seats of the Punjab Assembly and 130 seats of the Sindh Assembly.

The polling will take place in 855 constituencies out of 859 however due to the death of the candidate, voting will not be held in NA 8, PP 266, PK 22 and PK 91.