The final results of the national election in Pakistan have caused shock and anxiety among voters as it denied the powerful military a landslide victory for its preferred party. The party led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was trailing behind a rival party headed by another former prime minister, Imran Khan, as the votes were being counted. This unexpected turn of events has made it clear that the military’s efforts to influence the election outcome have not succeeded.
By 10:30 p.m. on Friday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or P.T.I., was leading in the polls with at least 90 confirmed seats in the National Assembly, while Mr. Sharif’s party had at least 66 confirmed seats. The success of P.T.I. is seen as an upset in a country where the military holds significant influence, reflecting Mr. Khan’s loyal support base and his ability to outmaneuver the military’s tactics.
In Punjab, the country’s most populous province, many candidates in Mr. Sharif’s party were in close competition with those in Mr. Khan’s party. The delay in releasing the election results has raised concerns about potential tampering and the legitimacy of the incoming government.
As the results slowly came in, thousands of P.T.I. supporters took to the streets in protest against the slow release of the results and expressed their refusal to accept any manipulation of the vote in favor of Mr. Sharif’s party.
2024-02-09 13:17:46
Article from www.nytimes.com