Mobile networks were shut off and militants attacked some candidates. One popular leader — who was not on the ballot — essentially campaigned for his proxies via an AI-generated version of himself.
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Diaa Hadid has covered South Asia and Afghanistan from NPR's bureau in Mumbai since October 2023. She previously spent 6 years in NPR's Islamabad bureau, where she covered Pakistan and Afghanistan. Her favorite stories are about people and moments that capture the complexity of the places she covers.