Former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif had anticipated an effortless victory for his party in the country’s parliamentary elections, securing him the top position for a fourth term. However, Sharif now faces a challenging road to power.
Independent candidates supported by his incarcerated rival, Imran Khan, were leading in the vote tally on Friday, showcasing unexpectedly strong performance. This contradicted assertions by Khan’s supporters and a national rights body that suggested the voting process was manipulated to favour Sharif.
This unforeseen turn of events disrupted Sharif’s plans — and the backing of the security establishment — prompting him to announce efforts on Friday to establish a coalition government.
Just a day earlier, Sharif had adamantly dismissed the notion of a coalition, expressing his desire for a single party to govern Pakistan for a full five-year term after casting his vote.
Khan, a former cricket icon turned Islamist politician with a considerable grassroots following, was disqualified from participating in Thursday’s election due to criminal convictions. He argues that his sentences and numerous pending legal cases against him were politically driven.
As Khan’s party’s candidates were prohibited from using the party symbol — a cricket bat — to aid illiterate voters in identifying them on ballots, they were compelled to contest as independents.
Independents secured at least 99 seats, with most of them loyal to Khan. The PML-N secured 71 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had garnered 53.
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