Pakistan wrangles over premiership, court turns down election rigging petitions: Top points
Pakistan’s two largest political parties were on Monday wrangling over who will be the prime minister after an inconclusive election last week forced them to join forces and try to form a coalition in a parliament dominated by independents. The squabbling is likely to deepen concerns about the stability of the nation, which is mired in an economic crisis and battling a surge in militant violence.
On Friday, former Prime Ministers Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif both declared victory, with independent candidates backed by Khan forming the largest group of 93 members of a total of 264 seats for which results were declared. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was the largest recognised party with 75 seats and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto, was second with 54.
PAKISTAN ELECTION RESULT 2024: THE LATEST
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Days after Pakistan voted to elect a new government, political parties in Pakistan continued to wrangle over who would be the next prime minister. Independent candidates backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan formed the largest group of 93 members of a total of 264 seats, even as both Khan and Nawaz Sharif declared victory.
On Sunday, several political parties and candidates called for protests against the results, and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) blocked traffic in the northern city of Peshawar. The vote was marred by a mobile internet shutdown on election day and unusually delayed results, leading to accusations that it was rigged and drawing concern from rights groups and foreign governments.
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As many as 18 petitions, challenging the results of constituencies after the general elections based on Form 47s, were turned down by the Lahore High Court. The petitions included those against the electoral wins of PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Khawaja Asif, Attaullah Tarar and IPP leader Awn Chaudhry. Justice Ali Baqar Najafi directed the petitioners to approach the Election Commission of Pakistan regarding the matter.
