Pakistan’s national election commission on Sunday declared that jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) have won a clear lead with 97 out of 265 seats in the National Assembly to the 76 pulled in by the Pakistan Muslim League led by Khan’s enemy, other former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, with the Pakistan People’s Party’s 54-seat third place finish eyed by both as the prize for a coalition partner to hit a 134-seat majority, Al-Jazeera reports.
Everyone’s really happy with the results and there hasn’t been any civil unrest… NOT! Lol. The PTI have been calling for fans to hit the streets and protest the results they say the government tampered with in a number of races. At least six PTI candidates are appealing results. “The fact that internet was blocked on day of election showed how the state tried to tamper with the results. We believe that state institutions are fully involved in this and this is deplorable. They should respect the votes by the people,” said one PTI supporter in Lahore as he headed out to Stop the Steal.
Pakistani politics geek Zaigham Khan tells Al-Jazeera PTI fans are not entirely wrong to worry as the party will probably get frozen out despite the plurality. “The most likely scenario is a coalition government that includes all political parties – minus [Imran] Khan’s PTI,” said Zaigham Khan. “The second scenario, less likely but technically possible, is the PPP joining hands with the PTI and forming a government.” It’s not clear how many were killed on election day Thursday.