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Elections were held in Pakistan on February 8 amid a mobile service blackout.
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shehbaz Sharif has joined hands with PPP’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to form a coalition government with election trends showing no party getting a clear majority, the local media have reported.
An unity government would thwart Imran Khan despite Independents backed by him racing ahead in the national elections, but falling short of the 133 majority mark.
Elections were held in Pakistan on February 8 amid a mobile service blackout.
Here are the LIVE updates on Pakistan Elections:
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LIVE: Shehbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Agree To Join Hands, Says Report
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have agreed to join hands to form a coalition government as Independents backed by Imran Khan race ahead in national elections, reports Geo TV. Current figures show Independents winning 99 seats, falling short of the 133 majority mark despite being the largest group. Shebaz, brother of Nawaz Sharif, and Bhutto Zardari joining hands would thwart Imran Khan, who remains jailed and whose candidates ran as independents.
Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir said the country needs stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarisation, reported Dawn this morning. “As the people of Pakistan have reposed their combined trust in the Constitution of Pakistan, it is now incumbent upon all political parties to reciprocate the same with political maturity and unity,” he said, calling the elections “free and unhindered”.
The counting in 250 seats has been completed and the independent candidates, a vast majority of them backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, were on the top with 99 seats, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan. The group was followed by Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N with 71 seats, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 53, Muttahida Qaumi Movement with 17 and other seats going to smaller parties. Though elected with the support of Imran Khan’s party, the independents can join any party, which is a potential source of instability, as they can also switch loyalties in future.
A strong performance by independent candidates loyal to Imran Khan has made military-backed Nawaz Sharif rethink his strategies and plan a unity government along with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Latest figures suggest Nawaz Sharif will have no other way but to tie up with the PPP to form an alliance government.
PML-N: 63
PPP: 50
Independents backed by PTI: 94
MQM-P: 14
Source: Express Tribune quoting state-run agency APP
قوم کی جانب سے انتخابات میں تاریخی مقابلے، جس کے نتیجے میں تحریک انصاف کو عام انتخابات 2024 میں بے مثال کامیابی میسرآئی،کے بعد چیئرمین عمران خان کا(مصنوعی ذہانت سے تیار کردہ) فاتحانہ خطاب pic.twitter.com/8yQqes4nO9
– Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 9, 2024
Hours after Nawaz Sharif claimed his party has emerged as the largest, Imran Khan indicated his group is on course to get a clear majority – declarations that are prompting confusion among Pakistanis over who is going to form government.
“No Pakistani will accept this (electoral malpractice) and the international media has also reported extensively about it. As per the Form 45 data, we are on course to win more than 170 National Assembly seats. My fellow countrymen, you all have set a date for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. We are winning the 2024 elections with a two-thirds majority. Everyone has seen the power of your vote. Now show your ability to preserve and protect it,” said Imran Khan in the audio clip of his AI-enabled voice.
“Pakistan Muslim League is the single-largest party in the country today after the elections and it is our duty to bring this country out of the whirlpool,” Nawaz Sharif had told a press conference in Lahore yesterday.
Imran Khan has released a ‘victory speech’ in his AI-enabled voice, saying that the ‘London Plan’ of Nawaz Sharif failed with the massive turnout of voters on polling day.
“My beloved countrymen. By turning out in such huge numbers and exercising your democratic right of franchise, you have laid the foundation for the restoration of the freedom to exercise citizens’ rights. I congratulate you all on helping us win the elections handsomely. I had full faith in your turning out in such large numbers to cast your ballots. You lived up to my trust and the massive turnout on election day surprised many. The ‘London Plan’ because of your active participation in the democratic exercise. Nawaz Sharif is a leader of low intelligence who gave a victory speech despite his party trailing in 30 seats,” he said in an audio clip of his AI-enabled voice on social media.
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