Pakistan Election: Counting Ends, PTI-Backed Independents Lead In Polls

60 hours after the conclusion of voting, the final results for Pakistan's 12th general elections were declared on Sunday. The Pakistan Election Commission attributed the delay to internet issues, which caused difficulties for polling stations in transmitting the results.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who seems to enjoy the backing of the powerful military, is trying to bring rival political parties to form a new coalition government.

Check top developments:

• Independents backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party sprung a surprise by winning the lion's share of 101 seats in the National Assembly in Thursday's election.
• In response to protests by PTI and other parties regarding alleged election rigging, the Election Commission has ordered re-polling at certain polling stations. It will be held on February 15.
• Whereas Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has won 73 seats followed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) (54), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) (17) and other seats have gone to smaller parties.
• To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 in the National Assembly. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate. 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.
• The courts in Pakistan have been flooded with petitions as candidates, mostly backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), challenged the results of Thursday's general elections, alleging rigging. Most of the petitions were filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC), while two PTI-backed candidates moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the results, and at least three petitions were filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC).
• Three-time former Prime Minister and the PML-N supremo Sharif, in his so-called victory speech, has already indicated that he is ready to join hands with the independents "to steer the country out of the crisis". Even if Sharif's PML-N and the PPP led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari get a majority of the remaining seats of the results yet to be announced they will still require support from other winning parties/independents to form a government.
• Also, Imran Khan in an AI-generated audio-video message on Saturday claimed victory in the general elections. He thanked the people for voting for PTI and also asked them to ensure the sanctity of their votes was not hijacked by the establishment.
• PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said the party had already started the consultation process on its fut­ure course of action. However, he added, physical meetings have not been possible since most elected candidates are either in jail or underground. He warned that any attempt to derail the people's decision would have "deadly consequences", adding that power-wielders must learn to respect the people's choice.
• He said PTI had emerged as a leading political force in the Centre, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, but efforts were underway to manipulate the results in the Centre and Punjab to establish governments of their choice.