At least 29 dead in Pak poll violence

Pakistan counted the dead as well as the votes a day after violence marred the second stage of local polls in which newspapers reported at least 29 people were killed on Thursday, adding to the 16 killed in the first phase last week. Provincial government officials, however, said many of the killings were unrelated to the election.

With vote counting on, results are expected to emerge over the weekend. Pakistan’s major dailies predicted a victory for government parties in Punjab and Sindh, the most populous of Pakistan’s four provinces. —Reuters