Pakistan Elections 2024 Highlights: Nawaz Sharif Still In Race For PM Post, PML-N Leaders Say
Pakistan Elections 2024 LIVE: Please follow this space for all the updates coming straight from the political battleground of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday said independents backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan emerged as the single largest group in the general elections only because his government provided “a level playing field” to all parties.
“A large number of independent candidates backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf emerged as the largest single group on the national and provincial assemblies,” Kakar was quoted as saying by the state-owned news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Taking responsibility for the poor performance of their parties in the February 8 polls, Pakistan's IPP chief Jahangir Khan Tareen and PTI-P central chairman Pervez Khattak on Monday announced their decision to quit politics while JI chief Sirajul Haq said he would resign his party chief position. The decision by Tareen of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Khattak of Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaaf-Parliamentarian (PTI-P), and Haq of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) came as their parties witnessed significant drubbing in the general elections. (News agency PTI)
PML-N supremo and three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is still in the race for the prime ministerial slot despite his party not securing a simple majority in the general elections in Pakistan, PML-N leaders said on Monday.
“We are having discussion with Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) over power-sharing formula in the upcoming coalition government in the Centre and Nawaz Sharif cannot be ruled out as the prime ministerial candidate,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator Irfan Saddique told a private news channel. He said Nawaz Sharif, 74, is the candidate for the prime minister slot from the PML-N.
“Had we got a simple majority, Nawaz would have been the prime minister. However, under the current equation in the Parliament, Nawaz is still in the race for the post of Prime Minister,” Saddique said.
A senior leader of PML-N from Punjab told PTI on Monday that serious deliberations are underway and names of both Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, are being considered for the top slot. “Nawaz Sharif has a wish to become Prime Minister for the fourth time. And it appears if Nawaz decides then he will be the prime minister,” he added. (News agency PTI)
In an unusual move, a senior leader of Pakistan's Jamaat-i-Islami Party on Monday forfeited his seat in the Sindh province that he won in Thursday's elections, saying it was not him but the PTI party-backed candidate who had won from the constituency he contested.
According to the provisional results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan for the February 8 general elections, Naeem won from the PS-129 constituency (Karachi Central VIII) with 26,296 votes.
In a boost to the PML-N party, another newly elected independent member of Pakistan's National Assembly on Monday decided to join the party led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as he tries to form a coalition government after the just-concluded election resulted in a hung Parliament.
In total, two independent candidates in the lower House have joined the PML-N. Sardar Shamshir Mazari from NA 189, Imran Akram from PP 195, Sohail Khan from PP 240, Khizr Hussain Mazari from PP 297, and Sahibzada Mohammad Gazin Abbasi from PP 249 were among those who met Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, the President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) posted on X on Monday.
Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party will not join hands with rival PML-N or the PPP to form a coalition government and would sit in the opposition despite having a majority in the newly elected Parliament, party leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has said. Independent candidates, mostly affiliated with Khan's PTI, secured the most parliamentary seats in last week’s general election. However, PTI does not have enough seats in the 266-member National Assembly to form a government on its own. “We don’t feel comfortable with both (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party) of them. There will be no talks with anyone to make a government or to make a government together with them. It is better to sit in the opposition than to make a government [with them], but we think we have the majority,” Gohar Khan told Dawn News.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar posted a video on his x account and wrote that there was heavy police deployment outside PTI's Lahore party office. Calling it a waste of time, he said that the police had forgotten that it was burnt down by unidentified men last month and it was pointless to guard an empty place.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman of the Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami party refused to take oath after winning a provincial assembly seat in Karachi. He claimed that a PTI-backed candidate had won it and vowed to reclaim the rest of the seats that his party lost due to rigging.
Pakistan's election commission has declared the establishment of four counters corresponding to one province each, outside its office to assist people in filing petitions against election results.
An independent candidate Attaullah filed a petition against Hafeezuddin of Qaumi Movement-Pakistan over irregularities in election results. Attaullah claimed success of the NA-245 Karachi seat and legally challenged the matter in the Sindh High Court.
PML-N was shocked after suffering losses in Punjab, a region that the party considered its stronghold. A few leaders attributed the losses to leadership's miscalculation in the assessment of public sentiment, especially that of the youth.
Ubaidur Rehman, a PTI-backed candidate won the provincial seat in Lower Dir with 23,229 votes after the assistant commissioner of Samarbagh Numan Pervez recounted the votes. Earlier Jamaat-i-Islami candidate Izazul Mulk was declared winner of the PK-17 (Dir) constituency.
PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood said that another coalition government like the previous PML-N-led one is "in the scoffing led by Shehbaz Sharif." He said that the PML-N party might be the king's choice but has no public support. He further claimed that the coalition will collapse into a rubber heap in a push.
11 women have been elected to the National Assembly from across Pakistan, as of now.
Six independent MNAs-elect including PTI-backed Waseem Qadir from Lahore's NA-121 constituency, have joined hands with PML-N, posing a serious concern over PTI's success.
An analysis of provisional results revealed that the number of rejected ballots was greater than the victory margin in at least 24 National Assembly constituencies.
Naeem Haider Panjutha, an independent candidate backed by PTI said that he has filed a petition against ECP over alleged rigging in his Punjab constituency.
PML-N floated the idea of a 'participatory coalition government' after a poor showing in the Feb 8 polls, stating that none of the political parties have secured the mandate to form a government.
Pakistan courts were flooded with petitions filed by losing candidates contesting the provisional election results in their respective constituencies, news agency PTI reported.
President Arif Alvi congratulated the people for turning up in large numbers to vote. Taking to X, he wrote, "The youth deserve a special mention, and I praise them for having decided to take charge of the country by participating peacefully in the voting process.”
The JUI-F staged protest in Karachi against alleged “malpractices” during the recently-held elections, Dawn reported.
The police have warned to take stringent action on illegal gatherings after the PTI urged its supporters to protest alleged rigging in the election, AFP reported. Several police personnel equipped with riot gear gathered near Liberty Market in Lahore.
PTI leader Gohar Ali Khan has urged supporters to participate in peaceful protests across the country against alleged rigging in polls. In a message on X, he said the nation had reposed their confidence in Imran Khan’s message of “ghulami na manzoor [slavery unacceptable]” and came out in large numbers to vote on Feb 8.
"The people of Pakistan, founder chairman Mr. Imran Khan. He has expressed full confidence in the vision of "Slavery is unacceptable" and on February 8, despite all the difficulties, he left his homes and awarded Tehreek-e-Insaf with a clear and transparent mandate, but instead of surrendering to the people's decision, he again Unacceptable attempts are being made by Returning Officers to kill democracy by stealing their mandate and illegally/reprehensible tampering with results. Any such effort will prove beneficial for the country, nor will the people disrespect their vote. So the results are rejected. And will hold a vigorous but very organized and peaceful protest today against the returning officers who changed/subjected them to illegal delay/turned the clear victory of Tehreek-e-Insaaf into a defeat," Khan said in a post on X.
"The workers should join the peaceful protest with national flag and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf flags and exercise their fundamental constitutional, democratic and political right to peaceful protest to protect the mandate of the people. It is the basic constitutional and democratic right of Tehreek-e-Insaf to form a government by getting a clear majority in the Centre, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the interest of Pakistan is hidden in full respect of the people's mandate. It should be put forward in all situations," he added.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reserved its verdict on the issuance of the final notification regarding elections in the NA-48 constituency, as reported by Dawn. While hearing the plea of the PTI-backed independent candidate, Ali Bukhari, the ECP issued a notice to the winning candidate, Raja Khurram Nawaz, who contested the polls as an independent candidate.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) is protesting at the National Highway in Sukkur against "rigging" in the February 8 polls, as reported by Geo TV. The protest is being led by PS-22 candidate Muhammad Mubeen Baloki in Sukkur.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar has advised the civil servants to stay loyal to the people and the Constitution of Pakistan and not become part of the post-poll rigging.
The PML-N bagged nine out of 14 Punjab Assembly seats from Rawalpindi, Murree, as reported by Dawn. The rest of the five seats went to PTI-backed independent candidates and a Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen nominee.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed re-polling in over 40 polling stations to take place on February 15 amid accusations of rigging, as reported by Dawn reported.
Re-polling will occur at 26 polling stations of NA-88 after reports emerged of a mob setting fire to polling materials at the returning officer's office. This re-polling is scheduled for February 15, according to an ECP spokesperson, as quoted by Dawn.
Three recently elected Independent members of the National Assembly announced their support to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), as reported by ANI citing The Express Tribune.
"Pakistan needs free and fair elections, which includes transparency in counting votes and respect for the results. I believe today, as I always have, that we must accept the voters' decision with grace. I hope our elected officials, whether in government or opposition parties, will prioritise democracy and prosperity for the people of Pakistan," Malala Yousafzai said in a post on X.
Imran Khan's PTI has called for a nationwide protest on Sunday to protect the sanctity of the vote as independent candidates are in the lead with 100 seats.
Background
Pakistan Elections 2024 LIVE: Please follow this space for all the updates coming straight from the political battleground of Pakistan.
Independents backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party bagged the most seats, totaling 101 seats in the National Assembly. Following closely behind were the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 73 seats and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 54 seats.
Additionally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) secured 17 seats, while smaller parties claimed the remaining seats. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) revealed these results, covering 255 out of 265 seats, by Saturday evening. One seat's election was postponed due to the unfortunate demise of a candidate.
To form a government, a party needs to secure at least 133 seats out of 265 in the National Assembly. Overall, 169 seats are required for a simple majority out of the total 336 seats, including those reserved for women and minorities.
Pakistanis will vote on Thursday to elect a new government to rule the cash-strapped country amid a spree of violence including deadly blasts on the eve of elections in which the front-runner former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is believed to have the backing of the powerful military.
With former prime minister Imran Khan in jail, Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is tipped to emerge as the single largest party in the elections.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates are contesting the polls independently after the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the election commission to deprive his party of its iconic election symbol cricket 'bat'. Sharif, 74, will be eying the premiership for a record fourth time in Thursday's election.
The contest also involves the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who has been declared as the party's prime minister face.
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