Jailed Pakistani political leader Imran Khan’s party wins most seats

Imran Khan-affiliated independents secured the most number of seats in Pakistan’s election despite rigging claims and slow counting

In a surprising turn of events, independent candidates associated with the jailed Pakistani political figure, Imran Khan, emerged victorious by securing the highest number of seats in Pakistan’s National Assembly on Friday.

Opponents raised concerns about rigging and encountering delays in the vote-counting process.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, independent candidates have already secured 98 seats, with 22 yet to claim. Notably, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Party (PMLN), initially considered the frontrunner in the election, has secured the second-largest number of seats, totaling 69, while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) trails behind with 51 seats.

Even with the remaining 22 seats up for grabs, neither PMLN, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, nor PPP could secure a majority of 169 seats independently. 

Sharif, Khan’s rival, asserted that his PMLN party had secured the largest portion of the vote. Despite this, Sharif acknowledged that his party lacked the necessary majority to establish a government independently and was actively seeking coalition partners.

Analysts perceive Sharif, whose previous term was cut short by a military coup, as being favored by the country’s military establishment, although the military has consistently denied supporting him.

An AI-generated speech attributed to Khan, released on Friday, declared victory in the election and urged his supporters to stand firm in safeguarding their votes, hinting at a challenging political landscape ahead.

Source: Newsroom