Imran Khan-backed Independents Secure Most Seats in Pak Polls, Shehbaz Meets Bilawal For Govt Formation | Top Points

The political landscape in Pakistan took a shocking turn on Sunday after jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan-backed independent candidates secured the most seats in parliament.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, independent candidates won 102 seats while Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Party (PMLN) came in second with 73 seats, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won 54 seats.

However, according to the latest development, PMLN is in contact with the leadership of PPP for government formation.

The election results were announced more than three days after the polls were closed in Thursday’s highly contentious election which was marred by violence and subject to allegations of poll rigging.

Several countries, including the United States, the UK and the European Union, condemned the electoral process and called for authorities to investigate reported irregularities in Pakistan’s general elections.

As Pakistan Elections Concludes amid World Intervention, Here’s What Happened so far:

• PPP president Asif Ali Zardari, chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PMLN chief Shehbaz Sharif discussed government formation at Bhutto’s residence, the official X handle of PPP noted in a post.
• Independent candidates affiliated with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party secured the most seats in parliament, as per election results announced on Sunday.
• The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Party (PMLN), headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, secured 73 seats.
• The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday ordered the recounting of votes in Balochistan’s provincial constituency, PB-21.
• Section 144 has been imposed in Pakistan’s Islamabad, allowing police to take legal action against any illegal assemblies and activities.
• Imran’s close aide and media advisor, Zulfi Bukhari, told Reuters that the party will soon announce the party banner that independents will be asked to join.
• Earlier, PML-N and PPP agreed to form a coalition government as both parties failed to reach the majority remark.
• Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) is “ready” to join the government process and a formal discussion about the matter will be held with PML-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, sources told Geo Tv.
• Pakistan’s army chief on Sunday said, “Political leadership and their workers should rise above self-interests and synergise efforts in governing and serving the people.”
• Former prime ministers and bitter rivals Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan both declared the win ahead of the results and both delivered victory speeches.
• Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Sunday was reportedly summoned by the party’s Co-Chairman Asif Zardari from Islamabad to Lahore.
• PPP central information secretary Faisal Karim Kundi said that party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari should opt to sit in the opposition if he doesn’t secure the PM post.
• PTI-backed candidate Waseem Qadir, who won from Lahore’s NA-121 constituency, joined the PML-N on Sunday.
• PTI leader Hammad Azhar said all protests on Sunday were postponed and that only peaceful protests will be held outside the offices of the Returning Officers (ROs) where the results were changed.
• Estranged PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz and Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) leader Ayaz Latif Palijo refused to accept the results over alleged rigging.
• Awami National Party’s (ANP) Aimal Wali Khan on Sunday rejected the results of general elections, terming the nationwide polls the “worst election in Pakistan’s history.”
• Police have warned that legal action will be taken against unlawful assemblies and people protesting against alleged rigging in Thursday’s election.
• PTI reportedly asked its lawyer Umair Khan Niazi to get in touch with party-backed candidates for government at the federal level.
• Meanwhile, PTI’s Meher Bano Qureshi said that independents won’t and can’t shift their loyalties to any other party.
• PTI workers protesting outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) office in Karachi concluded the demonstration against election results.
• The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) censured the election commission over alleged irregularities and termed the “issuance of Form 47 twice an illegal act”.
• The Pakistan elections were marred by militant attacks and incidents of violence on election day.
• The violence led to the suspension of mobile phone and internet services in the country.
• Reports suggested that media persons faced a hard time gathering information as there have been restrictions on movement and speech.
• Several countries called out the authorities stating concerns about the curbs on the exercise of freedom of expression in the country.
• Security analyst Muhammad Amir Rana says the performance of religious parties in this election has been one of the worst compared to their previous runs.