Pakistan poll results: Imran-backed independents win big despite severe crackdown

Pakistan appears to be heading towards a hung parliament, with independent candidates backed by jailed ex-premier Imran Khan’s party springing a surprise by winning most seats.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has called for a unity government and, reports say, he and Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting in Lahore last evening. Both the parties were part of the government that took over from after Imran Khan’s ouster from the prime minister’s office in 2022.

According to the latest Election Commission data, results of 226 constituencies out of 265 were declared. Independent candidates (mostly supported by Imran Khan’s party PTI) bagged 92 seats while PML-N got 64, Pakistan Peoples Party secured 50, Muttahida Qaumi Movement won 12 and other parties got 8 seats.

To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 in the National Assembly. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate.

Overall, 169 seats are needed to secure a simple majority out of its total 336 seats, which include the reserved slots for women and minorities.

Votes are still being counted after Thursday’s general election which was marred by allegations of rigging, sporadic violence and a countrywide mobile phone shutdown.

Changing his stance of not forging any alliance with any party, Sharif on Friday said that there is a need for all the political parties to sit together and form a government to pull Pakistan out of its difficulties.

“We can’t hold elections again and again, he said. We were all sitting together yesterday but didn’t address you because the results were not in.”

“Our party has emerged as single largest winning party in the country after Thursday’s polls. To steer Pakistan out of crises, we want other parties to join hands to form a coalition government, said Sharif, the three-time former premier. “Our agenda is only a happy Pakistan and you know what we have done before.”

(With inputs from PTI)