India, Feb. 8 -- Voting is underway in Pakistan to decide the fates of 17,816 candidates on Thursday as the country, roiled by a deep economic crisis, is witnessing a neck-to-neck contest between old dynastic rulers even as former Prime Minister Imran Khan languishes in prison.

Casting of ballots, which started at 8am, will close at 5pm.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which is supposedly backed by the powerful military, is predicted to emerge as the single largest party in the election that has been delayed by months.

With Pakistan witnessing an uptick in terror attacks in recent months, security has been beefed up across polling stations in the country.

"Along with 6,500 personnel of Islama...