Pakistan General elections 2018: Pakistan is all set to choose its new prime minister. This will be for the third time in the country’s 71-year history that a transition of power will take place in the civilian government. There are three key players in the elections – Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Pakistan People Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). Around 110 million registered voters will vote for to elect 342 national assembly members, while more than a thousand candidates are in the fray. Here’s a look at most influential figures in the politics of Pakistan:
Imran Khan
– Imran Khan is the chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf.
– He is said to be the frontrunner for the post of the prime minister
– He is said to be the most favored by Pakistan’s deep state (Army and terrorist syndicate)
Nawaz Sharif
– Nawaz Sharif is a former three times prime minister of Pakistan
– He is the founder and de facto head PML (N)
– He is currently lodged in jail over corruption charges
Shehbaz Sharif
– Shehbaz Sharif is the brother of Nawaz Sharif
– He is currently heading the PML (N)
– He is also the former chief minister of Punjab, Pakistan’s biggest state.
Shahid Khaqqan Abbasi
– Abbasi is the outgoing prime minister.
– Surprisingly, Nawaz Sharif had favoured Abbasi over his brother Shehbaz for PM seat last year
– His candidature for the current polls has been canceled by the authorities.
Bilawal Bhutto
– He is the son of Lt former prime minister Benazir Bhutto
– And, the grandson of maverick politician Zulfikar-Ali-Bhutto
– He is currently heading Pakistan People’s Party
– Going by the constitution, Bhutto, 29, cannot become the prime minister.
Asif Ali Zardari
– Zardari is a former president, husband of Benazir Bhutto, father of Bilawal Bhutto
– He had served as a minister in his wife’s government
– PPP has nominated him for the post of prime minister this time.
Khawaja Asif
– Asif is former Defence Minister
– A part of PML-N, he is among Sharif’s most trusted allies
– A former banker, he has held key positions within the PML-N since 1991.
– Yusuf Raza Gilani
– He is a former prime minister
– He became the prime minister after Benazir Bhutto was killed in an attack
– He is a member of Pakistan People Party
– He will contest NA-158 (Multan) seat
