On Friday, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif claimed victory in the National Elections 2024. He said that his political party has emerged as the largest and will discuss forming a coalition government. However, he did not reveal how many seats his political party had won. Counting was still underway in the last few of the 265 seats that went to the elections.
Interestingly, on Friday, jailed ex-Pakistan premier Imran Khan’s party-backed independent candidates sprung a surprise by winning 86 seats out of the 201 results announced. Pakistan appears to be heading towards a hung assembly. The general election was marred by allegations of rigging, sporadic violence, and a countrywide mobile phone shutdown.
This election encompassed contests for 265 of the 266 seats in the national assembly, underscoring the significance of each win in the race to secure a simple majority of 133 seats. The elections are being held amid a severe economic crisis in a starkly polarised political setup.
As world watches counting of votes, here are latest updates from Pakistan:
The interior ministry attributed the uncommon delay in announcing the results of Pakistan‘s recently concluded election to a “lack of communication,” which stemmed from precautionary measures aimed at ensuring robust security, as stated on Friday.
According to the website of the election commission, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has emerged victorious in 17 out of the 51 seats where the counting of votes has been finalized in Pakistan’s national election.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Stock Exchange’s benchmark KSE-100 index went down by 1,700 points today amid the confusion prevailed over the results of the general elections in the country. The reports suggest that the authorities are moving slowly towards to announce the election results that in a surprising development showed disqualified and jailed ex-Prime Minister Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supported independent candidates leading the show.
Imprisoned former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party asserted victory in the general elections on Friday, alleging that the delay in announcing results was an attempt to manipulate the outcome. Meanwhile, the PML-N refuted the claim, asserting its own victory in Thursday’s elections.
“InshAllah PTI will form governments in Punjab, KP and Federal. Any attempt to change the results overnight will be thwarted and not accepted at any cost by the people of Pakistan or the local and international observers and media,” said Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar.
InshAllah PTI will form governments in Punjab, KP and Federal. Any attempt to change the results overnight will be thwarted and not accepted at any cost by the people of Pakistan or the local and international observers and media – Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar pic.twitter.com/6ARCUO2vdl
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 8, 2024
Candidates not affiliated with any party but supported by former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have secured victory in 21 out of 50 seats in the national elections, as per the latest count, as reported by GEO News on Friday. A political party requires 133 seats in parliament for a straightforward majority. (Reuters)
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by Imran Khan, asserts its lead in 150 seats as votes are tallied. A video circulated on X featuring PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar claims that PTI is ahead in 150 constituencies and is poised to establish government across Pakistan, including in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PTI has alleged reports of polling agents being abducted and coerced into signing fake Form 45s. Imran Khan’s party claimed to possess video evidence of rigging and emphasized that the people of Pakistan would not tolerate such “rigged elections.” In a statement released on X, PTI stated, “Furthermore, there are reports of polling agents being abducted & forced to sign fake Form 45s. As per the Election Act, it is mandatory to issue results (Form 47) by 2:00 am. The presence of candidates and their polling agents is also mandatory during the counting & compilation process of Form 47. However, both these requirements were not fulfilled. Reports are coming in of PTI-nominated candidates suddenly losing in various constituencies now, after they had already won by a clear majority.”
Imran Khan’s party has alleged that PTI candidate polling agents have collected copies of Form 45, indicating a significant victory for them. However, they claim that returning officers are manipulating the results using Form 47. In a statement released on X, PTI declared, “Let the world know that the clear and overwhelming mandate of the people of Pakistan is being stolen. Despite unprecedented pre-poll rigging & oppression, there was a record, massive turnout on polling day. Every independent result showed PTI winning by a landslide.” They emphasised the importance of Form 45, which tabulates the votes for each candidate at each polling station and serves as the primary source of election results at the lowest level.
The announcement of Pakistan‘s election results faced delays on Friday, following a day of voting marred by sporadic violence, a temporary shutdown of mobile phone services, and the disqualification of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party. Reports from local media suggested victories for independent candidates supported by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, as Khan himself was barred from contesting the election due to criminal convictions he claims were politically motivated.
Pakistan‘s main political parties are having a very close fight, as per latest report by Reuters. Results from 12 seats have been announced. Five seats are won by Imran Khan’s supporters and four by Nawaz Sharif’s party. Delay in the vote count has also been reported and the authorities are blaming it on suspension of mobile phone services.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supported independent candidates are leading the score board. As per latest report by PTI, Pakistan establishment is yet to declare election results.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres conveyed concern on violence and restriction of communication in Pakistan on the election day conducted on Thursday. General election in Pakistan was affected by militant attacks and restricted use of mobile services. Voting was counted after the voting ended, delay in election results has also been reported compared to preceding polls, as per PTI report.
It is for the people of Pakistan to choose who will lead them in future, said Biden Administration on Thursday as the general elections took place in alleged midst of electoral malpractice. As per US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, ”as millions of people voted today in Pakistan, and I will repeat that country’s future leadership is in the hands of Pakistani people to decide, and our interest is still in the democratic process”, stated by PTI
Pakistan‘s declared results from four national parliamentary seats. The announcement was made public on the official website of Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday, almost after 12 hours of polling, Reuters report said. According to data from Election Commission of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif’s party bags two seats while two seats are won by independent candidates.
Without official results available, PTI officials have been asserting that their party is on the path of victory, citing initial trends by local media outlets.
According to Al-Jazeera, in a video statement distributed to the media, PTI chief organiser Omar Ayub Khan stated, “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed independent candidates possess the potential to establish the next federal government with a two-thirds majority.”
The U.S. State Department said on Thursday it was concerned about steps taken to “restrict freedom of expression” in Pakistan, especially related to phone and internet access, as the country voted in general elections. The decision to suspend mobile networks also drew criticism from opposition party leaders, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of the Pakistan Peoples Party, the 35-year-old son of the late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who demanded its “immediate restoration”.
Amnesty International labeled the move “a direct assault on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.” Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja attributed the decision to suspend mobile networks to “law and order agencies” in response to the violence witnessed on Wednesday.
Imran Khan’s party declared that the people of Pakistan showed up in “unprecedented numbers” on Thursday to vehemently oppose oppression, lawlessness, and fraud within the system. The party emphasized that this massive turnout signifies a significant triumph for the incarcerated former prime minister, his party, and the entire nation. Vote counting commenced immediately after polling concluded, despite the election being overshadowed by a crackdown on Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, sporadic violence, and connectivity issues due to the government’s suspension of mobile and internet services to prevent terror attacks. Khan’s party hailed today’s voter turnout as a historic victory for the nation.
“Even though the illegitimate, fascist regime tried every low tactic to scare & dissuade people from voting, the people of Pakistan came out today in unprecedented numbers to vehemently reject the system of oppression, lawlessness & fraud!” PTI said in a post on X. “This is a huge victory for Imran Khan, PTI & the Pakistani nation!” the post read.
Initial trends from Pakistan‘s elections indicate that jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-supported independent candidates are leading in numerous constituencies nationwide, posing a significant challenge to Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N party in its stronghold of Punjab. The elections, marked by sporadic violence, saw the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) strip Imran Khan’s party of its electoral symbol, the ‘bat,’ due to its failure to conduct intra-party polls as per constitutional requirements, prompting the party to field independent candidates.
Polling commenced at 8:00 AM and continued uninterrupted until 5:00 PM, with a nationwide public holiday declared to facilitate over 120 million voters. The voter turnout percentage is yet to be determined, with the overall turnout in the 2018 elections standing at 51.7%.
The Pakistani military has released a statement confirming that a total of 12 individuals, predominantly security officials, lost their lives, while 39 others sustained injuries in attacks aimed at undermining the electoral process. The army, via its public relations platform, ISPR, reported 51 instances of “cowardly terrorist attacks,” primarily concentrated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, occurring on election day.
Despite these incidents, the army extended congratulations to the nation “on the generally peaceful and violence-free conduct of the general elections”.
Vote counting commenced in Pakistan following the conclusion of a general election marked by militant attacks and the suspension of mobile phone services. Authorities reported at least nine fatalities nationwide. Projections of initial results are anticipated on TV channels a few hours after the close of voting at 5 p.m. (1200 GMT), with a clearer picture expected to emerge early Friday as counting progresses overnight.
The national assembly comprises 265 seats, with one seat’s polling postponed due to a candidate’s death. A simple majority of 133 seats is required for a party to form a government, yet many analysts speculate that the election outcome may not yield a decisive winner.
As the vote counting started after the end of a tense and controversial election, Imran Khan’s party claimed that the people of Pakistan had massively rejected the regime of tyranny, corruption and injustice. They hailed this as a great triumph for the imprisoned former premier, his party and the country.
The election was marked by a clampdown on Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, occasional clashes and communication problems due to the government’s decision to cut off mobile and internet services to prevent terrorist attacks.
The Information Ministry has recently announced on X that nationwide restoration of mobile phone services is imminent. Additionally, it mentioned that the process of partial service restoration has already commenced across the country.
Two attacks by unknown assailants killed six security officers and wounded seven more on Thursday, as Pakistan held its general elections amid heightened security and allegations of rigging. The attacks took place in the volatile provinces of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan and Iran respectively.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is optimistic about his party’s chances of winning Thursday’s national elections. However, the vote has faced problems like violence and controversy. There was a nationwide mobile phone shutdown, and a popular candidate was imprisoned. Bombings at political offices killed at least 30 people a day before the election. Attacks during the voting aimed to disrupt it, including one that killed five police officers. Pakistan is struggling with increasing militancy.
The Committee to Protect Journalists criticized Pakistan‘s suspension of cell phone services and internet disruptions during Thursday’s elections. They received reports of journalists being barred from coverage in certain areas. Before the elections, CPJ urged Pakistani authorities to grant nationwide internet access and unblock the investigative news website FactFocus.
After a temporary shutdown, the Interior Ministry announced that mobile phone services have begun to partially resume in different areas of the country. They added that full restoration of cellular services nationwide will happen soon.
Pakistan began counting votes after polling ended on Thursday in a general election marred by militant attacks and suspension of mobile phone services, with authorities saying that at least nine people had been killed nationwide. The vote was held as the South Asian country struggles to recover from an economic crisis while it grapples with rising militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment. TV channels are expected to make projections of first results a few hours after voting closed at 5 p.m. (1200 GMT) and a clear picture is likely to emerge early on Friday as counting continues through the night. (REUTERS)
On Thursday, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar praised the nation for the successful general elections. He said the high voter turnout showed the people’s dedication to shaping the country’s future. The prime minister expressed this on his X handle, “The participation and enthusiasm of the people of Pakistan have been the cornerstone of this democratic exercise. The high voter turnout is a clear indication of public commitment to shaping the future of our country.”