Pakistan: No clear winner in sight as results inch closer | World News – Business standard

Polling station members begin counting votes after polling stations closed for parliamentary elections in Quetta, Pakistan | Photo: PTI

Although two key political leaders from two different parties claimed victory in the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is yet to announce the final results of the poll.

Meanwhile, according to the unofficial preliminary results reported by Geo News for 241 out of 266 seats, the independent candidates, largely backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), are in the lead with 97 seats.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which has emerged as the largest party, follows with 72 seats, followed by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with 52 seats.

While Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Jamiat-e-Ulami-Faizal (JUI-F) and Balochistan National Party (BNP) secured 15, 3 and 2 seats respectively.

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, delivered a ‘victory speech’ in his AI-enabled voice on Saturday, saying that the Pakistan’s ‘London Plan’ Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif failed with massive voter turnout on election day.

“My beloved compatriots. By coming out in such large numbers and exercising your democratic right to vote, you have laid the foundation for the restoration of the freedom to exercise the rights of citizens. I congratulate you all for helping us win the election. I had complete confidence in you turning out in such large numbers to cast your vote. You have lived up to my trust and the massive turnout on election day surprised many. The ‘London Plan’ for your active participation in the democratic exercise. Nawaz Sharif is a leader with low intelligence who gave a victory speech despite his party falling behind in 30 seats,” the former Prime Minister and PTI founder said in an audio clip of his AI-enabled voice on social media platform X.

Moreover, three-time Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claimed that his party has emerged as the ‘biggest’ party and wants to lead the country to prosperity while developing peaceful relations with neighbors.

This comes as counting for Thursday’s elections is underway and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the largest party but lags behind independent candidates, who are largely backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaaf. (PTI).

Speaking at a large gathering in Lahore, Sharif said, “I see the spark of happiness in your eyes. This spark calls for recovery of a ‘wounded’ Pakistan. It calls for development to turn Pakistan into a beautiful country.”

He also promised to develop schools and hospitals in the country and work to combat inflation and unemployment in the crisis-hit country.

“We have to do such a job that no one would feel the pain while paying the electricity and gas bills, or while buying petrol, diesel, paying the school fees. There should be employment for the people… we will distribute laptops to students, build schools and toilets and provide free medicines in hospitals,” Sharif said.

Nawaz Sharif also announced his intention to form a unified government with the help of his former allies – the Pakistan People’s Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan), amid a broken mandate.

First print: February 10, 2024 | 8:26 am IST