Pakistan poll results 2024: Imran Khan backed Independent candidates lead as counting picks up pace

Pakistan election results in 2024 may bring some joy for the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan as his supporters, who contested independently, are leading in the race to form a new government in the economic crisis-hit nation. Of the 122 National Assembly results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), candidates backed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have won 49 seats. The result of the Pakistan polls 2024 so far is surprising given the claims by imprisoned Khan and his supporters and a national rights body of pre-poll rigging and manipulation. Pakistan elections 2024 result so far Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League (PML) party had won 39 seats, while the Pakistan People’s Party of political dynasty scion Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had 30. What if no party gets majority? With the final results yet to be out and are expected by Friday night, there is a pertinent question seeing the counting trend as to which party would form the government in the country that is sunk deep in economic crisis. However, if no party wins an outright majority, the one with the most seats can try to form a coalition government. The chief election commissioner earlier said the results of the election in Pakistan would be communicated to the oversight body by early Friday and released to the public after that. But it started happening only at midday. The Interior Ministry attributed the delay to a “lack of connectivity” resulting from security precautions. But will that be possible? Pakistan’s deeply divided political climate, however, is unlikely to produce a coalition pulling together for the betterment of the country, which is dealing with high inflation, year-round energy outages, and terrorist attacks. Cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan, who has a significant grassroots following, was disqualified from contesting in the 8 February election because of criminal convictions he contends were politically motivated. He was imprisoned in the run-up to the election. Candidates of Khan’s party contested as independents after the Supreme Court of Pakistan and ECP said they couldn’t use the party symbol — a cricket bat. In Pakistan, parties use symbols to help illiterate voters find them on the ballots. PTI couldn’t hold rallies or open campaign offices, and its online events were blocked, steps it contended were unfair. With inputs from AP