——— Country’s Parliamentary polls give mandate to no party to make solo flight at Center
——— With PPP having majority in Sindh province, PTI’s Independent Contestants emerge as powerbrokers at Punjab, KPK and Center as well
——— Nawaz announces desire to form alliance with Zardari’s PPP to form allied government
——— US looks forward to complete results reflecting ‘will of Pakistanis’
By Makhdoom Babar
(With field reporting from Abid Usman in Lahore, Zeeshan Mirza in Karachi, Bashir Khan in Peshawar, Sania Bugti in Quetta and Uzma Zafar in Islamabad)
Islamabad: The much awaited General Elections 2024 concluded across Pakistan with nation coming out to vote with a unique passion, mostly comprising the PTI supporting youth and female voters with some winning the contests while some others grabbing the results. In general, the result emerging out of these polls however Country’s Parliamentary polls gives mandate to no party to make solo flight at Center and once again creating an atmosphere where two or more parties will have to make alliances to form a federal government at the National Assembly. Although PPP claiming to be securing majority in Sindh province with PTI’s independent group having overwhelming majority at KP province and also having enough number to form a government at Punjab province yet they too need small alliances at both, Center and Punjab.
The mysterious failure of a dedicated system, found by Election commission of Pakistan, which miser-ably failed to deliver the results of the polling within specified time and anyone even much beyond that forced PPP’s spokesperson Sherry Rehman to hold a press conference to allege that their party candidates’ actual results were grabbed during the delayed period with PTI candidates like Salman Akram Raja approaching the courts with similar accusations. It is worth mentioning here that the Elec-tion Commission announced that its much talked about Election Management System (EMS) collapsed due to technical reasons which were later attributed to internet outage though it had previously claimed that its EMS wont be affected by internet or telecommunication troubles as it was not de-pendent on the internet technology.
However, this collapse occurred right when the incoming results started showing that PTI’s independ-ent candidates were winning in almost every constituency but surprisingly when the result an-nouncement resumed, many of them were shown as losers which has transformed this ECP claimed technical glitch into a huge mystery.
Meanwhile, for all other political parties apart from the PTI, the general elections of 2024 also proved to be a nightmare – similar to what happened in 2018.
Only the leaders of PTI achieved success in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while those of all other parties faced defeat.
Apart from those who left the PTI and joined other parties, former K-P chief ministers Pervez Khattak and Mahmood Khan, who formed their own party called PTI-Parliamentarians, also suffered failure.
Those who persevered with the PTI and faced hardships were rewarded in the form of success in the polls.
In the 2018 general elections, Imran Khan, the founding chairman of the PTI, emerged victorious from K-P, but all other national leaders were defeated, including PML-N president and former premier Shehbaz Sharif, PPP chairman and ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, Qaumi Watan Party head Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Jamaat-e-Islami emir Sirajul Haq and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
This time again, PTI leader Barrister Gohar on way to success in the province while others including PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif; ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan; the JUI-F chief and his two sons; QWP’s Sherpao and his son Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao; JI emir; and all others apparently test-ed defeat.
Even former federal minister and senior politician, ANP’s Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, faced defeat.
However, former federal minister PML-Q’s Salim Saifullah Khan was successful in clinching his seat but his brother, ex-PPP K-P president Anwar Saifullah Khan was not so fortunate.
PPP K-P president Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha and general secretary Shuja Khan; ANP provincial information secretary Samar Haroon Bilour; JUI-F provincial general secretary Molana Attaul Haq Dar-vish; and JI provincial emir Professor Muhammad Ibrahim Khan as well as general secretary Abdul Wa-sey also failed to bag the seats they were running for.
Among those defeated in the elections is PPP K-P information secretary Amjad Afridi, who had been consistently successful in the previous polls. On the other hand, PTI-affiliated independent candidates were successful yet again including former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser; ex-KP Assembly speaker Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani; as well as former federal ministers Shehryar Afridi, Ali Muhammad Khan, and Ali Amin Gandapur.
Former K-P Assembly speaker Bakht Jehan Khan, who is contesting the election on the ticket of JI from Buner, has suffered defeat as well. Meanwhile, Raoof Hasan, the Central Secretary Information of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), held a press conference on Friday alleging blatant rigging in the general elections held yesterday. Hasan claimed that the outcome of the elections had been manipulated overnight, with those initially win-ning being declared losers and vice versa. Addressing the media regarding the results of the 2024 gen-eral elections, Hasan proudly declared that PTI had emerged as the single-largest political force in the center, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), and Punjab. He credited the massive voter turnout to the public’s unwavering support for PTI founder Imran Khan to be the next prime minister.
However, the PTI Central Information Secretary warned against any attempts to subvert the people’s decision, stating that such efforts would have dire consequences. He emphasised the need for those in power to respect the choice made by the electorate.
Highlighting the challenges faced by PTI in the past, Hasan recalled the alleged reign of terror and fas-cism following the toppling of Khan’s government through what he referred to as a ‘regime change conspiracy.’ He claimed that PTI had faced constant oppression, with restrictions on holding meetings and public gatherings.
Expressing concern over the election process, Hasan accused “polls manipulators” of slowing down the results declaration and eventually halting the process to tamper with the results. He claimed that while PTI candidates were leading in several constituencies the night before, the results were manipulated overnight, turning their clear victories into defeats.
Hasan criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), questioning the reliability of the electoral watchdog’s system, which he alleged collapsed at crucial moments to manipulate results. He accused the ECP of playing a questionable role in the electoral process.
Despite the challenges, Hasan pledged that PTI would utilise all legal and constitutional means to pre-vent any interference with the election results. He commended PTI workers and the public for their resilience, emphasising the historic power exercised by Khan even during his incarceration.
While Hasan acknowledged the possibility of Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif trying to influence PTI-elected candidates, he expressed confidence in the ideological commitment of PTI members, assert-ing that attempts to buy their allegiance would be futile.
On the other hand, In a candid address to his supporters outside his Model Town residence in Lahore, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif con-ceded that his party, despite emerging as the ‘single-largest party’ in Thursday’s general elections, does not have the numbers to form a government on its own at the Centre.
“We respect the mandate of all parties and independent candidates,” Nawaz stated, acknowledging the reality of the election results. Urging unity in the face of a fragmented political landscape, he called upon his former coalition partners to come together and establish a ‘unity government’ for the benefit of Pakistan.
“I have tasked Shehbaz Sharif to make a move on this tonight. I have asked him to meet Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui,” Nawaz Sharif revealed, highlighting his proactive approach to kick-start the formation of a coalition government.
Hinting at the concept of a ‘unity government,’ Sharif emphasised that it is the collective duty of all political parties to collaborate and lead Pakistan out of its current challenges. “Not just my or Ishaq Dar’s responsibility… It is everyone’s Pakistan. If we all work together, only then Pakistan will get out of this crisis,” he added.
Addressing the need for stability, Sharif urged a reconsideration of confrontational strategies, assert-ing that Pakistan requires a minimum of 10 years of stability. “We do not seek conflict; Pakistan cannot endure it. It is imperative for all of us to come together, address our issues, and propel Pakistan into the 21st century,” he stated, making an apparent reference to political rivals, particularly the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In his address, Sharif expressed concern about the current state of the country, emphasising that it does not allow room for further crises. He announced that the first meeting to form a coalition gov-ernment will be held tonight, with Shehbaz Sharif and other party members actively participating in the discussions.
Highlighting the PML-N’s success not only at the national level but also in Punjab, Sharif asserted, “We will serve at the Centre as well as in Punjab.” He concluded by expressing the intention of his govern-ment to foster good relations with the entire world, particularly Pakistan’s immediate neighbours, sig-naling a commitment to diplomacy and international cooperation.
According to media reports, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that he cannot comment on Sharif’s offer until the election results become clearer.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stalwart Khursheed Shah said Friday that his party was un-likely to join hands with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) if Nawaz Sharif portrays himself as the next prime minister.
Although not all results have been issued yet, and the ones available are unofficial, PML-N supremo Nawaz has claimed that his party has emerged as the “single-largest party”, inviting others to join forc-es and form the next government.
“Nawaz Sharif wishes to become the prime minister […] but I don’t my party will form a coalition with him if he projects himself as the premier,” Shah told, hours after the world’s fifth-biggest democracy voted to elect its leaders.
Shah, whose party wants to see PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as the next premier, said Na-waz’s announcement was “premature” and said that he had declared himself as the prime minister three days back — an apparent reference to the ads that the PML-N had published in different news dailies.
The PPP stalwart, who has also served as a federal minister, noted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidates also have 72 hours to join any party once the official results are out.
“We will take decisions after due deliberations,” Shah said, as he further slammed Nawaz, wondering: “What majority does the PML-N have?”
Nawaz, the PML-N’s candidate for the premiership, said earlier that he seeks to form a united gov-ernment after his party “emerged victorious” in the February 8 general election.
“I have tasked Shehbaz Sharif to meet Fazlur Rehman, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Asif Ali Zardari today,” Nawaz told a charged crowd in Lahore’s Model Town, which was there to listen to his “victory speech”.
Meanwhile, PML-Quaid’s Chaudhry Salik Hussain told that his party would consider PML-N’s proposal tomorrow once all his party’s candidates’ results are in.
“We will discuss and see whose manifesto is better — be it PPP or PML-N,” Salik said, as he did not flat-out refuse Nawaz’s offer to join hands.
In response to Nawaz, PTI leader Asad Qaiser, who has secured a National Assembly constituency, said that the PTI emerged as the single-largest party in the Feb 8 vote.
“The government machinery was used against us.” Additionally, he mentioned: “We have three to four options, and we are also considering intra-party elections. We will also approach the court. To-morrow, we will decide the future course of action.”
“But I don’t understand the reason behind Mian sahib’s speech,” he said, slamming the PML-N Su-premo.
Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday said that it is in a position to form government at the Centre and ruled out forging an alliance with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
“We are not in contact with PPP or PML-N,” Barrister Gohar said.
He claimed that PTI is winning 150 National Assembly seats and would be able to achieve the required number of seats to form government at the Centre.
“We are not intending to form a coalition government with PPP and PML-N, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
“We will form the government at the Centre and Punjab,” he added.
He said the PTI has a clear lead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will form government there as well.
“PTI will remain in Parliament and will play its role.”
He said independent candidates belong to PTI and asserted they would not join any party against party directives amid fears of horse trading.
His statement comes shortly after PML-N senior leader Ishaq Dar claimed that independent candi-dates, who are emerging victorious in the 2024 general elections, are in contact with the party.
“The independents have contacted us and they will join any party in the next 72 hours as per the Con-stitution,” said the former finance minister while speaking to media on Friday as the election results continue to pour in.
Dar said that the PML-N cannot force anyone to join the party, adding that they are being contacted by candidates who are willing to join their party.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent candidate, Asad Qaiser, has come forward to lambast the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s victory speech in the general election 2024.
In his series of statements, the former NA speaker Asad Qaiser questioned the legitimacy of Nawaz Sharif’s recent statement and claimed, “In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, and Federal we (PTI/IND) bagged the highest numbers of seats.”
“Nawaz Sharif’s previous claim to uphold the dignity of the vote to right and now insulting the process with his victory speech,” He highlighted.
Qaiser asserted that the PTI would form governments in KP, Punjab, and at the federal level, under-scoring the party’s numerical strength in these regions, suggesting a solid foundation for government formation.
Asad Qaiser also hinted at potential negotiations with minor political entities first to form collaborative governance, meanwhile, he also asserted to approach the court for constituencies facing election re-sult disputes.
He termed the recent general election of 2024 as one of the most controversial in the history of Paki-stan, alleging that the results of the elections were being rigged in several regions.
While answering a question related to the coalition, he refused to comment on the alliance with the PPP but clarified that any discussion of allying with the PPP was not currently on the table.
He stated the PTI founder will make decisions related to the coalition after tomorrow’s meeting in Adi-ala Jail.
In the back drop of election results delay and noted irregularities, the US reacted on the matter, saying on Pakistan’s general elections 2024, the United States (US) said it looked forward to “timely and com-plete results that reflect the will of the Pakistani people”, as Washington listed US concerns with the process.
“We join credible international and local election observers in their assessment that these elections included undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“We condemn electoral violence… and are concerned about allegations of interference in the electoral process. Claims of interference or fraud should be fully investigated,” he added.
Miller, however, noted the administration of President Joe Biden was “prepared to work with the next Pakistani government, regardless of political party, to advance our shared interests,” including trade, investment and security cooperation.
The vote count is underway after millions of Pakistanis exercised their right to vote to elect their rep-resentatives for five-year term amid the countrywide internet and mobile shutdown, political vio-lence, and terror attacks.
As many as 17,816 independent and party-affiliated candidates contested for 265 National Assembly, 296 Punjab Assembly, 130 Sindh Assembly, 113 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and 51 Balochistan seats.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has so far released unofficial results of 212 NA seats out of 265.
According to the unofficial results received from electoral watchdog, independent candidates were leading with 90 seats followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’ (PML-N) 60 seats.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party managed to secure 48 NA seats so far. Furthermore, MQM-P clinched eight NA seats and IPP and PML-Q got two seats each.
