Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Speaker of the National Assembly, called on Pakistanis to cast their votes with fervour on Thursday, stating that the country’s destiny would be decided by the strength of those ballots. In a speech on Voter Day, the speaker said that Pakistan’s general elections were set for February 8 and that it was everyone’s first duty to participate in the political process. He emphasised the importance of widespread political involvement and the fact that choices taken at the polls would have a lasting impact on Pakistan. A considerable proportion of young voters participated in this year’s delimitation process, he claimed, indicating a promising trend for future civic engagement.