Lahore: A top political analyst stated on Saturday that the conviction and three-year jail term of Imran Khan in a corruption case removed a "major hurdle" for the ruling PML-N and the military establishment, who appear to be on the same page, to hold the elections.
Khan, 70, was the former prime minister of Pakistan and was found guilty of "corrupt practises" in the Toshakhana corruption case and sentenced to three years in prison by a trial court in Islamabad on Saturday. He was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
Allegations in the case state that while serving as prime minister, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) "deliberately concealed" information about gifts he kept from the Toshakhana, a storage facility for gifts given to government officials by foreign officials.—Inputs from Agencies

A top political analyst stated on Saturday that the conviction and three-year jail term of Imran Khan in a corruption case removed a "major hurdle" for the ruling PML-N and the military establishment, who appear to be on the same page, to hold the elections.

No 'major hurdle' left in holding polls after ex-PM Imran's arrest: Pak analyst

Islamabad [Pakistan]: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer Sher Afzal Khan Marwat and Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) Senator Afnan Ullah Khan were recently involved in a fight on a television channel, Geo News reported. Geo News is a Pakistani news channel owned by the Jang Media Group.
The incident was confirmed by both the leaders and has been shared by the senator on microblogging website X — formerly known as Twitter. The video shows the two having a heated argument in which both resorted to using abusive language. Marwat then suddenly attacked the senator. At first, both pushed each other. They eventually resorted to slaps and started punching each other. Finally, the TV show’s crew intervened and separated the politicians. Taking to X, Afnan said that Marwat attacked him, adding that he does not believe in violence but is a “soldier of Nawaz Sharif”. “The beating that I gave to Marwat is an important lesson for all PTI and especially Imran Khan. They will not be able to show their face to anyone and will be forced to wear big dark sunglasses,” the senator said, as per Geo News. Sher Ali Khan Marwat in a post said that the TV show host was "spreading misinformation" about the "unpleasant incident". "He is spreading rumours that my opponent was a superman. He is not telling the reality which is that Afnan Ullah ran away from the studio and took shelter in a nearby room, which I came to know after watching his programme today," Marwat said. He also added that he plans to "initiate a defamation case and criminal complaint" the senator. This is not the first time that such an incident has taken place on a talk show set. In 2021, former PPP lawmaker Abdul Qadir Mandokhel and then-PTI leader Firdous Ashiq Awan, who has now joined the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), were involved in a fight. The incident’s video then went viral, in which the two could be seen getting into a heated verbal exchange on a television show. In the verbal duel during the show, Mandokhel accused Awan of committing corruption.
—ANI

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer Sher Afzal Khan Marwat and Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) Senator Afnan Ullah Khan

Pakistan: Imran Khan’s lawyer, PML-N Senator involved in fight on television channel

Lahore: Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Organizer of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML N) publicly acknowledged during a rally, in Nankana Sahib that her fathers return from a four year self imposed exile in the UK was facilitated by Pakistans establishment. This revelation confirms allegations made by Sharifs adversaries. Comes just before the upcoming general election scheduled for February 8.  Speaking at the gathering alongside her father Maryam Nawaz stated, "Those responsible for expelling Nawaz Sharif are the ones who have brought him back." This marks the time a member of the Sharif family has openly disclosed the involvement of the military in his return.  Nawaz Sharif, who served as Pakistans minister three times ended his self imposed exile in October of year with claims that he received support from the "influential military establishment." The PML N, led by Sharif himself is seen as a leading contender in the polls with some opposition parties referring to him as being favored by those, in power.Maryam Nawaz took the opportunity to address the allegations, against her father stating that he has been ousted times before in cases such as the plane hijacking incident during Musharrafs rule and for not accepting a salary from his son. However now those who removed him from power have brought him back.  Sharif, who was disqualified in 2017 and later convicted on corruption charges in 2018 left for the UK in November 2019 due to reasons after being granted bail. Since his return to Pakistan he has found some relief from troubles.  In response to being labeled as "Laadla" (darling) Maryam emphasized that these days people are saying that Nawaz Sharif is a darling of the establishment. She confirmed this claim. Clarified that he is a darling of the people of the country.  The Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan alleges that Sharif returned to the country after making a deal, with the military. During the rally Sharif criticized Khan. Rejected being called an "imported" leader while expressing his intention to revamp the political system of the country. During his speech Sharif raised concerns, about the events that led to his dismissal from power in elections. He expressed a desire for change. Emphasized the need for support from the people. Sharif promised to undertake endeavors that would leave a lasting impression in history. This rally signifies Sharifs address since the commencement of PML Ns election campaign, over a week ago.

—Input from Agencies

Maryam Nawaz discloses military's role in Nawaz Sharif's return, adding intrigue to Pakistan's political scene before the upcoming general election on February 8.

Nawaz Sharif's daughter claims Pakistan's military brought her father back from UK

Lahore: Former prime minister PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif urged voters to give him the "crucial" majority in Parliament and ruled out the possibility of forming a coalition government.
The three-time prime minister, eyeing a record fourth term in the 2024 polls as his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is tipped to emerge as the single largest party, was speaking after casting his vote in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab.  The 74-year-old Sharif, who is contesting from the Lahore (NA-130) seat, was accompanied by his daughter and party's chief organiser Maryam Nawaz, and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party leader Awn Chaudhry.  Quoting Sharif, Geo News said that the PML-N leader urged the masses to come out and vote as the country “needs a one-party majority to bring stability.”  “We rendered sacrifices to witness the day where we are today. We have to end this culture of abuse and indecency,” he said and hoped that the poll would bring prosperity to the country which is facing grave economic and security challenges.
When asked to comment on the formation of a government after the elections and what would be his priority, Sharif said a party must get the majority to rule independently without dependence on others.  “For God's sake! Don’t talk about a coalition government. One-party majority is crucial for the country,” Sharif was quoted as saying.  To form a government, a party has to win 133 seats in the 266-member National Assembly (NA). Election to one seat has been postponed following the death of a candidate.  Taking a jibe indirectly at his rival and jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party, he said the country needs a healing touch.  He also highlighted the sacrifices of party leaders including Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz, saying they also spent time in jail.  As voting continued from 8:00 am, the general election is taking place amid the spectre of rising militant attacks with at least 30 killed in twin attacks in the restive Balochistan province on the eve of the election.  While Sharif is considered the frontrunner, his main rival is another former prime minister, incarcerated Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).  Incidentally, Bhutto-Zardari, who was the country’s youngest foreign minister in 2022 in the coalition government led by Nawaz Sharif’s younger brother Shehbaz, on Monday said he would not go for the same post under Nawaz Sharif if the ex-prime minister came back to power.  “I will not become a foreign minister if Nawaz comes to power again, I can’t participate in the same old politics. If he breaks away from that and creates an environment that benefits democracy in the country, then I can stand with that,” he was quoted as saying by local media.
—PTI

Nawaz Sharif seeks crucial one-party majority in 2024 elections for stability. PML-N leader urges voters amid security challenges.

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif rules out possibility of coalition as Pakistan votes

Islamabad [Pakistan]: In a clear message as to who holds the cards in the country, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, has said that the country needs stable hands and added that a unified government of all democratic forces will adequately represent Pakistan's diverse political and pluralistic landscape, Dawn reported. He said, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that elections and democracy are means to serve the people of Pakistan and not ends in themselves.
"The nation needs stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarisation, which do not suit a progressive country of 250 million people," Dawn quoted COAS Munir as saying. "Elections are not a zero-sum competition of winning and losing but an exercise to determine the mandate of the people. Political leadership and their workers should rise above self-interest and synergize efforts in governing and serving the people which is perhaps the only way to make democracy functional and purposeful," he said. In a statement issued by ISPR, Munir also praised the caretaker government, the Election Commission of Pakistan, and political parties following the completion of polls. The results of the polls are awaited, however. Meanwhile, as the COAS continued, he also underlined how important it is for the political parties to reciprocate with "political maturity," according to Dawn.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/pakistan's-jailed-ex-pm-imran-khan-claims-election-victory-after-rival-nawaz-sharif-says-he's-won" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/pakistan's-jailed-ex-pm-imran-khan-claims-election-victory-after-rival-nawaz-sharif-says-he's-won</a>&nbsp;
"As the people of Pakistan have reposed their combined trust in the Constitution of Pakistan, it is now incumbent upon all political parties to reciprocate the same with political maturity and unity," he went on to say. According to Geo News' unofficial provisional results for 241 of 266 seats, independent candidates, largely backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), led with 97 seats. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which has emerged as the single largest party, trails with 72 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has 52. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Jamiat-e-Ulami-Faizal (JUI-F), and Balochistan National Party (BNP) are expected to win 15, 3, and 2 seats, respectively. The counting for the elections held on Thursday is underway, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the single-largest party but is trailing behind the independent candidates, mostly backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).
Meanwhile, amid the Election Commission of Pakistan drawing flak over the delay in declaration of the results of the general elections, former PM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Saturday released a 'victory speech' in his AI-enabled voice, saying that the 'London Plan' of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif failed with the massive turnout of voters on polling day, as he also claimed victory in the general elections. Moreover, Nawaz Sharif also announced his intention to form a united government with the help of his former allies - Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) amid a fractured mandate. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari met in Lahore on Friday. The meeting took place immediately after Nawaz declared victory in the general elections conducted the day before and urged his partners to form a coalition government. The PPP and PML-N were both members of the PDM administration, which succeeded the PTI when Imran Khan was removed from office as prime minister in 2022.
—ANI

COAS General Asim Munir emphasizes stability in Pakistan's political landscape. Election updates, Imran Khan's victory speech, and PML-N's coalition plans unfold.

Pakistan Army Chief calls for "stable hands, healing touch" as polls throw up no clear winner

Islamabad: The number of rejected ballots was greater than the margin of victory in at least 24 National Assembly constituencies, according to an interesting statistical nugget from Pakistan's recent general elections.
The difference potentially opens doors for legal battles as several losing candidates have flooded the courts with petitions to review the results.  According to a report in the Dawn newspaper, 22 constituencies with a greater number of rejected votes than the margin of victory fell in Punjab, with one each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh province.  The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won the electoral race in 13 of these constituencies, five were claimed by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), four by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independents and two by other independents.
Going by their numerical strength, both the PML-N and the PPP are in a position to form a coalition government in the Centre. However, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif announced that all parties except PTI should join hands in the upcoming coalition set-up.  According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) till Sunday, of the total 265 National Assembly seats, PTI-backed Independents bagged 93 seats, followed by PML-N at 73, PPP at 54, MQM at 17 and others at 19.  The highest number of rejected votes was in the NA-59 (Talagang-cum-Chakwal) area of Punjab where Sardar Ghulam Abbas of PML-N secured 141,680 votes against his closest rival PTI-backed Muhammad Ruman Ahmad, who got 129,716 votes.  The margin of victory was 11,964 while the number of ballot papers rejected was 24,547.
It was followed by NA-213 Umerkot (17,571 ballots). The lowest number of ballots excluded are reported from NA-236 Karachi East-II (51 ballots).  In total, around two million ballot papers have been excluded from the count from the 265 National Assembly constituencies.  As many as four constituencies have more than 15,000 excluded ballots each. Another 21 constituencies have excluded 10,000 to 15,000 ballots. A large number of constituencies (137) reported excluded votes in the range of 5,000 to 10,000.  A total of 67 constituencies have reported fewer than 5,000 but greater than 1,000 excluded ballots. Only six constituencies have reported fewer than 1,000 excluded ballots each.
—PTI

Explore the aftermath of Pakistan's recent elections, where rejected ballots challenge results in 24 constituencies.

Rejected ballots exceed victory margin in 24 Pakistan constituencies

Lahore: In a boost to the PML-N party, five newly elected independent members 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 election resulted in a hung Parliament.
This comes a day after one independent candidate backed by Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). In total, six independent candidates have joined 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.  All the members expressed confidence in Nawaz Sharif's leadership and announced their decision to join the Muslim League (N), he said in the post.  "You have become a part of the caravan to beautify Pakistan and relieve the people from hardships," Shehbaz Sharif wrote.
The first agenda of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) is the economic prosperity of the country and the nation. The newly elected members of the assembly appreciated the services and passion of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif for the country and the nation, he posted on X.  Pakistan needs Nawaz Sharif's sincere vision, development agenda and experience of service, and newly elected members of assembly talk, the post said.
 Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/pakistan's-election-commission-releases-final-results-of-controversy-marred-polls" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/pakistan's-election-commission-releases-final-results-of-controversy-marred-polls</a>&nbsp;
 Among the political parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the largest party, winning 227 seats, followed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 160 seats.  The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is in third place with 45 seats.  In the National Assembly, independents won 101 seats, according to the preliminary results.  The PML-N led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif got 75 seats, while the PPP of former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari grabbed 54 and the MQM-P secured 17 seats. Among other parties, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) won four seats, PML-Quaid, three, and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and the Balochistan National Party (BNP), two each.  To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the National Assembly.  Overall, 169 seats are needed to secure a simple majority out of its total 336 seats, which include the reserved slots for women and minorities which will be decided later.  Going by their numerical strength, both the PML-N and the PPP are in a position to form a coalition government in the Centre. However, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif announced that all parties except PTI should join hands in the upcoming set-up.  The PML-N led by former three-time prime minister Nawaz has pitched the idea of a “participatory coalition government” to rival parties to end the logjam following the split verdict in the February 8 election.
—PTI

Boost for PML-N as five independent members join after hung Parliament. Nawaz Sharif's leadership gains confidence; potential coalition government in the making.

Former Pak PM Sharif's PML-N party secures support of five more independent candidates

Islamabad: Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of former premier Nawaz Sharif, is expected to become Pakistan's new prime minister as the coalition of leading political parties led by them is set to comfortably cross the simple majority mark to form the next government after elections produced a split mandate.
In a surprise move, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday night nominated Shehbaz as the prime ministerial candidate instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif.  Earlier, Shehbaz along with Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan Peoples Party, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) met at the residence of Shujaat Hussain of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) for a consultative meeting and agreed on government formation.  “Today we have united to tell the nation that we all accept the split mandate. I am thankful to Zardari and Bilawal (Bhutto) that they decided for their party to vote for the PML-N,” he said.  PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif has nominated the party president and his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, for the post of the country’s prime minister.  She added that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz was nominated for the post of Punjab’s chief minister.  "Nawaz Sharif has thanked the political parties which provided support to the PML-N (in forming the upcoming government) and expressed hope that through such decisions Pakistan will come out of crises," she said.  Shehbaz, 72, who was prime minister after the Imran Khan-led government was ousted in April 2022, said the other parties that joined hands with the PML-N enjoyed “almost 2/3 majority” of the Parliament after the elections.  He also said that the new government would pull the country out of trouble.  According to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s tally, the total number of general seats won by the six parties -- the PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, IPP (Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) which announced their plans to form a coalition led by Shehbaz -- comes to 152.  This clearly shows that these parties will easily achieve the minimum required number of 169 to form the government at the Centre after the addition of 60 women and 10 minority seats in their tally.  However, it is yet to be seen if these parties will be able to get to the next magic number of 224, which is required to obtain the elusive two-thirds majority in a 336-member National Assembly (NA).  “Now our war is against the country’s challenges. The first challenge is the economy. We have to stabilise it which is a tall task. Nations move forward when their leadership unites and decides to end conflicts and take the nation forward to eliminate problems,” he said.
The PML-N reportedly enjoys the backing of the Pakistan Army.  Reacting to the latest political developments, jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said that the best option for the PML-N is to “accept [its] defeat gracefully” and let their party founder Imran Khan “fix and heal the country”.  Independent candidates backed by the PTI won the most seats in Parliament.  PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Tuesday that his party had won 180 seats across the country, and the name of the party’s prime ministerial candidate would be announced by Thursday.  During a conversation with the media, after meeting with the party’s founding chairman and former premier Khan in Adiala Jail, along with other PTI leaders, he said that they had secured all three NA seats in Islamabad and an additional four seats in Balochistan.  PTI had refused to form a coalition with PPP: Bilawal Bhutto  Zardari speaking alongside Shehbaz said that a coalition government would be set up.  “We have decided to form a coalition government and pull the country out of the economic crisis,” he said and added that the new government would also try to reconcile with everyone including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of Imran Khan.
He promised to deliver the country out of these troubles and lead on to the road to prosperity.  With the key parties getting together to form the new government, the transition from the election to the new government is likely to take place as per law by the end of this month.  PPP chairman Bilawal addressing a press conference after the meeting of its high-powered Central Executive Committee (CEC), which was held under his leadership, said his party failed to get a mandate to form a government in the federation.  “Due to this, I will not be putting myself forward for the candidacy of the prime minister of Pakistan,” he said, but added that the PTI had refused to form a coalition with the PPP which left the PML-N as the only party that had invited the PPP to join the government.  He said the PPP decided to form a committee to engage with other political parties for the formation of government and political stability.  “The PPP has decided that we are unable or not in a position to join the federal government ourselves, nor are we interested in taking ministries in such a setup. We also don’t want to see political chaos in the country. We don’t want to perpetuate the crisis in the country,” he said.  “The PPP has decided that we ran this election on a manifesto based on issues of public importance […] we want to restore political stability and want to end this environment of political toxicity.  “To that end, the PPP will be willing to support the case of important votes - a candidate of the PM of Pakistan - and issue to issue basis to ensure that the government is formed and political stability is restored,” Bilawal said.  To a question, he said that his father and former president Asif Ali Zardari would be the candidate to become president as he was capable of getting the country out of the current problems.  To another question, he said that his experience with the PML-N in the previous government was not good and his party leaders in the meeting raised concerns that their issues were not addressed by the PML-N during the tenure of the coalition government.  Ruling out fresh elections due to the split mandate, he also declared that the parliament would be formed after the current elections and “we will not let the people down”.  Meanwhile, Khan-led PTI decided to use the platform of two right-wing religious parties in its bid to form its federal government and in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.  PTI information secretary Raouf Hassan announced while addressing a press conference.  “PTI has decided to join Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) to form the government in the centre and in Punjab and Jamaati-e-Islami (JI) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,” he said, adding that the party was redoubling efforts to make government in the centre and Punjab.  It is believed that by even joining the two parties, the PTI would not get enough strength to form the federal government or provincial government in Punjab.  By joining the two parties, the PTI would be able to claim a share of the 70 reserved seats in the National Assembly and 156 reserved seats in the four provincial assemblies. The reserved seats are allotted to the parties on the basis of proportional representation.  The PTI-backed independent candidates were required to join a political party within three days of official notification of the election results by the Election Commission of Pakistan, which has not been issued so far.  However, the choice of the two parties by the PTI may invite scrutiny by his opponents as MWM is a Shiite party led by Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and it succeeded in getting only one seat in the National Assembly but failed to get any seat in the four provinces.  On the other hand, the JI is one of the oldest hardline religious parties which supported the struggle in Kashmir and opposed the US forces in Afghanistan through rallies and protests. It failed to get any National Assembly seat but won six provincial seats, including three in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, two seats in Sindh and one in Balochistan, according to the data of the ECP.  The overnight developments showed that the country was on the way to getting an elected government in office within weeks after the February 8 polarised elections.
—PTI

Shehbaz Sharif nominated as Pakistan's potential PM in a coalition government. Political twists, election dynamics, and stability promises unfold after split results.

Pakistan election: Shehbaz Sharif likely to become next PM as coalition led by PML-N set to cross majority mark

Islamabad: Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party on Wednesday alleged that its “mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night” after major political parties in the country decided to form a coalition government led by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif.
In a surprise move, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday night nominated Shehbaz, 72. as the prime ministerial candidate instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif.  Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said that Imran’s “mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night”.  In a post on X, Hasan said, “Pakistan is being put on [the] road to further destabilisation.”  Referring to a possible coalition government led by the PML-N, he said, “The decision to induct a bunch of criminals to form governments, who have been rejected by the people, reflects a myopic view of the grave challenges the country is beset with.”
<a href="https://twitter.com/RaoofHasan/status/1757628843760783723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1757628843760783723%7Ctwgr%5E0d60bc0ecd5251cff29eebd2221dddabd1f64c95%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.deccanherald.com%2Fworld%2Fimran-khans-party-says-its-mandate-has-been-stolen-in-dark-of-night-2894073" target="_self">https://twitter.com/RaoofHasan/status/1757628843760783723?</a>
Despite independent candidates backed by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party sprang a surprise by winning the most seats in Parliament. They have won 92 seats in the 266-member National Assembly.  To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly.  While Khan, the 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician is in jail after being convicted in corruption cases, the PTI-backed candidates ran as independents due to the party losing the election symbol of ‘bat’ following controversy surrounding its organisational elections.  The PTI spokesperson said the current situation was “striking at the very essence of democratic principles and norms”, as well as reflected a “disdain for the national interests and the welfare of its people”.  “Forces of dark must be stopped and power must pass on to those whom the people have chosen as their leaders,” Hasan added.  The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that independent candidates, a majority of them supported by the PTI secured 101 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 75 seats, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) getting 54 seats, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) bagging 17 seats.  Other parties got 17 seats while the result of one constituency was withheld.  The formation of a new government would take some time.
According to the sources, the newly elected members of the assemblies should submit their election expense details till February 18, which will be followed by the Election Commission of Pakistan issuing a notification of the elected members by February 22.  Within the next three days, all the independent candidates should join a political party followed by the allocation of 60 women reserved seats and 10 minority reserved seats to the political parties.  The next stage would be the meeting of the National Assembly to administer oaths to the new members. The President is bound to call the session by February 29 but sources said the session in the case of the National Assembly could be held on February 26, while the provincial assemblies could be summoned on the same or the following day.  Once the oath is administered, the new lawmakers would become regular members of their respective houses. It would be followed by the election of speakers, deputy speakers, and prime minister in case of National Assembly and chief ministers in the provincial assemblies will commence, the sources said.  The elections were held on February 8 and the first session of the assembly should be called within 21 days after the day of the polls.  As all hurdles about the formation of the new government have been resolved, it is expected that a fresh setup will be in place by the beginning of next month.
—PTI

Imran Khan's party alleges mandate theft as PML-N forms a coalition government. PTI-backed candidates win seats in the Election Commission's reported results.

Imran Khan's party says its mandate has been stolen in dark of night

Lahore [Pakistan]: Maryam Nawaz, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee, has made history by becoming Punjab's first female chief minister, ARY News reported. She secured 220 votes in the election, triumphing over her opponent, Rana Aftab Ahmad of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), who received zero votes due to a boycott by SIC members.
The Punjab Assembly session, presided over by newly-elected Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, witnessed opposition members from the Sunni Ittehad Council boycotting the proceedings. Speaker Khan declared that only elections for the chief minister would take place, and no lawmakers were permitted to speak during the session, according to ARY News. In response to the boycott, Speaker Khan formed a committee, including Khawaja Salman Rafique, Salman Nazeer, Samiullah, and Khalil Tahir Sindhu, to persuade the boycotting legislators to return to the Assembly. Maryam Nawaz's candidacy for the chief minister position was against Rana Aftab Ahmed of the Sunni Ittehad Council. The PML-N, with a substantial number of candidates, faced competition in the election, but Maryam Nawaz's clear majority in the house ensured her victory. The oath-taking ceremony for the Punjab Assembly members occurred earlier, with 321 out of 371 members taking their oaths. The PML-N had previously secured victory in the Punjab Assembly speaker and deputy speaker elections, further solidifying its dominance. Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan was elected as the PA Speaker with 224 votes, while Malik Zaheer Ahmed Channer, the PML-N candidate for deputy speaker, defeated Mohammad Moinuddin from the SIC with 220 votes, ARY News reported. Maryam Nawaz is the daughter of former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif. She was initially involved in the family's philanthropic organisations. In 1992, she married Safdar Awan. Safdar was serving as Captain in the Pakistan Army at that time and was the security officer of Nawaz Sharif during the latter's tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan. She has three children with Safdar Awan In 2012, she entered politics and was put in charge of the election campaign during the 2013 general elections. In 2013, she was appointed the Chairperson of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme. However, she resigned in 2014 after her appointment was challenged. During 2024 Pakistani general election, she was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan (NA) and the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab for the first time, marking her parliamentary debut.
—ANI

Maryam Nawaz becomes Punjab's first female Chief Minister, leading PML-N to a triumphant victory in the Punjab Assembly elections, as reported by ARY News.

Pakistan: Maryam Nawaz makes history as Punjab's first female Chief Minister

Islamabad: Senior PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif is set to become the next prime minister of Pakistan on Sunday to lead a coalition government after last month's elections produced a split mandate.
Shehbaz, 72, who is the consensus candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), submitted his nomination on Saturday.  His challenger Omar Ayub Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) too has filed his papers, setting the stage for Sunday's election, expected to be a one-sided affair.  The PML-N president Shehbaz is the younger brother of former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, 74, who sprang a surprise last month after being projected as the party's prime ministerial candidate ahead of the February 8 elections, marred by alleged vote rigging.  Nawaz Sharif, who returned to Pakistan from London in October last year to become Pakistan's prime minister for a record fourth time, decided against contesting as his PML-N party failed to garner enough seats in the February 8 elections to form a government on its own.  The elections saw more than 90 independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's PTI winning the maximum number of seats in the 336-member National Assembly.  However, in a post-poll alliance, the Mutahhida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have all backed the PML-N's candidate, ensuring that Shehbaz Sharif will be smoothly elected as the 33rd prime minister. Ayub, on the other hand, does not have the numbers.
To form a government, a party was to win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats. Some 70 seats are reserved for women and minorities, divided between parties on a proportional basis.  Voting in the National Assembly to elect the new prime minister would be held on Sunday, according to the National Assembly Secretariat.  The successful candidate will be administered the oath of office on Monday at the Presidential mansion, Aiwan-e-Sadr.  In the February 8 polls, the Sharifs-led party failed to garner a clear majority, albeit technically, it is the largest party with 75 out of 265 seats.  Shehbaz served as prime minister of a coalition government from April 2022 to August 2023 before Parliament was dissolved to hold general elections.  Besides the PPP, Shehbaz has the backing of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Balochistan Awami Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and the National Party, having a total of 205 lawmakers.  Two National Assembly-elect members from the MQM-P and PPP have yet to take the oath. To become the leader of the house, Shehbaz requires 169 votes in the 336-member house.  On the other hand, the PTI-backed opposition has 102 lawmakers, out of which one member has not taken the oath. Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Balochistan National Party (Mengal) are likely to boycott the poll.  At present, 304 lawmakers have taken oath whereas the Election Commission of Pakistan has so far withheld the notification of 23 reserved seats for women and minorities.
—PTI

Shehbaz Sharif, backed by PML-N and PPP, set to become Pakistan's PM in a coalition government after split mandate elections.

PML-N's Shehbaz Sharif set to become Pakistan's Prime Minister amid vote rigging allegations

Islamabad: Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday became the prime minister of Pakistan for a second time to lead a coalition government after he comfortably won a majority in the newly-elected Parliament.
Shehbaz, 72, who was the consensus candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), received 201 votes in the 336-member house.  Shehbaz's challenger Omar Ayub Khan of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secured 92 votes.  The session of the new parliament convened amid ruckus and sloganeering by PTI-backed lawmakers.
Shehbaz will be administered the oath of office on Monday at the Presidential mansion, Aiwan-e-Sadr.  Shehbaz earlier served as prime minister of a coalition government from April 2022 to August 2023 before Parliament was dissolved to hold general elections.
—PTI

Shehbaz Sharif re-elected as Pakistan's Prime Minister in a coalition government, winning against PTI's Omar Ayub Khan. Set for oath taking at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Shehbaz Sharif elected Pakistan's Prime Minister for a second time

Islamabad: Voting began on Saturday in the Presidential elections in Pakistan in which Asif Ali Zardari is set to be elected for a second time.
Asif Ali Zardari, the 68-year-old joint candidate of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Sunni Ittehad Council’s candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai, 75, are vying for the office of president. The voting began at 10 am and will continue till 4 pm. The new president would replace the incumbent Dr Arif Alvi, whose five-year term ended last year. However, he has continued since the new electoral college was not yet formed.
According to the Constitution, the president is indirectly elected by an electoral college comprising federal and provincial lawmakers. Achakzai is the head of his Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and is contesting from the platform of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which came to prominence after independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) joined it. Zardari, a businessman-turned-politician is the husband of slain Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Zardari, the co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is supported by the coalition government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which has the necessary numbers.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/imran-khan's-party-terms-oath-taking-of-members-on-reserved-seats-%22unconstitutional%22" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/imran-khan's-party-terms-oath-taking-of-members-on-reserved-seats-%22unconstitutional%22</a> This is part of a quid pro quo deal after the February 8 polls delivered a fractured mandate: PPP supported PML-N’s candidate for prime minister’s post and also got to form the government in the Punjab provincial assembly while Zardari got the support of PML-N and his party got to rule the Sindh province. Zardari, who served as the president from 2008 to 2013, will also be the first civilian to be elected for the second time as president. The ruling coalition is confident that Zardari will be elected as president for the second time as the parties have a majority in the Senate, National Assembly, Punjab Assembly, Sindh Assembly and Balochistan Assembly. The opposition enjoys a majority only in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly. Just hours before the presidential elections, Achakzai demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postpone the polls till the electoral college is completed. In a letter written to Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, Achakzai stated that the electoral college as 'prescribed by law and Constitution' for a presidential election was 'still incomplete' because 'some reserved seats' in the National Assembly and all provincial assemblies are still vacant. "...As yet no one was elected on those reserved seats and without nominations and proper election on these seats, if the presidential election is conducted as per the schedule that would be a denial of their votes, which otherwise is against the fundamental rights, law and constitution," stated the letter, written by Achakzai. The PTI-backed presidential candidate added that the electoral college cannot be completed till the seats are filled. He added that till the seats are not filled the presidential polls would be 'illegal, unlawful and against the spirit of the Constitution'. He also mentioned the Peshawar High Court (PHC) stay order on the reserved seats which he believes would give a 'clear verdict' in favour of the PTI-backed party. The parliament buildings and buildings of the provincial assemblies have been designated as polling stations to let the lawmakers vote. The PML-N-led ruling coalition has calculated that its candidate Asif Ali Zardari would get more than 400 electoral votes. As many as 325 members of the National Assembly, 91 senators, 354 members of the Punjab Assembly, 157 members of the Sindh Assembly, 117 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and 65 members of the Balochistan Assembly are eligible to cast their vote.
—PTI

Voting for Pakistan's presidential elections kicks off, with Asif Ali Zardari aiming for a second term against Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

Voting begins in Pakistan's presidential election: Asif Ali Zardari set to win

Islamabad: The voting in the presidential election in Pakistan concluded in the National Assembly and all provincial assemblies at 4 pm. The counting process is now in progress. In the Balochistan Assembly, the coalition government's nominee, Asif Ali Zardari, secured a clean sweep, with all 47 members casting their votes in his favour. None voted for PTI-backed Mahmood Khan Achakzai, while 15 members were absent from the assembly, Dawn reported citing unofficial results.
In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, PTI-backed SIC candidate Achakzai garnered 91 votes, surpassing PPP's Zardari, who received only 17 votes. Out of 118 members, 109 cast their ballots, with one vote being rejected. In the Sindh Assembly, Zardari secured 58 votes, while Achakzai received three votes. According to preliminary results, Zardari won 246 votes in the Punjab Assembly, while his opponent Achakzai managed to only get 100 votes. Out of the 352 votes cast, six were rejected. The counting of votes took place under the Election Commission of Pakistan's presiding officer, Nisar Durrani, according to Dawn. Several parties, like Maulana Fazlur Rehman's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and Jamaat-e-Islami boycotted the election of Pakistan's 14th president. Two prominent candidates, Asif Ali Zardari, the joint nominee of PPP and PML-N, and Mahmood Khan Achakzai from the Sunni Ittehad Council, are the contenders for the presidential office. The current ruling coalition, comprising PML-N, PPP, and MQM-P, has thrown its support behind Asif Ali Zardari. The president is chosen by an electoral college consisting of members from the Senate, the National Assembly, and the four provincial assemblies. A joint session of the parliament is being conducted at the parliament house in Islamabad, where members from both the National Assembly and the Senate will cast their votes, according to ARY News. Simultaneously, provincial assemblies are convening their sessions for the presidential election. The Election Commission of Pakistan has designated all four assemblies as polling stations for the smooth conduct of the electoral process. The breakdown of voting members includes at least 162 from the provincial assembly in Sindh, 353 in Punjab, 65 in Balochistan, and 115 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all contributing to the election of the new president. With a majority in all assemblies and the Senate, Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of PPP, is poised to secure the presidency for the second time.
—ANI

Voting for Pakistan's presidential election concluded, with Zardari poised for victory. Preliminary counts show a clear lead against Achakzai. Results in progress.

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