In the parliamentary elections in Pakistan, former Prime Minister Sharif and his PML-N party missed a majority. Independent candidates close to the imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Khan are ahead. Sharif and Khan both see themselves as winners.
The conservative Nawaz Sharif was celebrated as the winner by his supporters last night. Before the election he was still considered the favorite and promised to get the majority. But according to the latest results, his party, the Muslim League, does not have the most seats.
Sharif changed his tactics yesterday: “It would have been a very happy moment if we had become the majority party and could have formed the government. (…) but since we do not have a sufficient majority to form a government on our own, we become allies invite you to join us and we will form a common government.”
Coalition talks will now be held with the Pakistan People’s Party of former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Sharif has led the country as prime minister three times, most recently until 2017. He later went into exile in London to avoid prison for corruption. He only returned last year. The convictions against him were overturned.
Khan’s supporters are in the lead
Sharif’s supporters set off fireworks. A young man told Reuters news agency: “We are very happy that Nawaz Sharif has returned to the country. Now he has come back to power with his votes and we have great expectations from him. We hope that he lives up to our expectations justice and Pakistan is back on the path of progress.”
But even on the second day after the election, the final result is not yet known. The election commission had claimed that there were problems with the internet. The astonishing thing about the latest projections: the supporters of the imprisoned ex-prime minister Imran Khan are clearly ahead – ahead of Sharif and Zardari. But since Khan’s party was excluded from the election, his candidates had to run as independents.
“No Pakistani will accept this”
And yet Khan sees himself and his candidates as the winners of the election: Late in the evening, his party published a message from him from prison. With the help of artificial intelligence, his voice was imitated and spread across social media: “I congratulate each and every one of you on winning the 2024 election. I had full confidence in you that you would vote. You all have fulfilled my wish, and your massive turnout shocked everyone…Nawaz Sharif is an insignificant person who gave a victory speech even though he was behind according to the official results. No Pakistani will accept this.”
Despite all the obstacles, his party won the election and nothing could stop the victory. Everyone has witnessed how powerful the voters are. In the end, Khan called on his followers: show your strength to protect your voice.
Suspicion of the Election manipulation
Khan’s supporters had already protested yesterday in Peshawar in northwest Pakistan. There was talk of election manipulation. Some claim ballots were fraudulent. Khan has been imprisoned since last year, including for corruption. Shortly before the election he was sentenced to an additional three prison terms. The former cricket star is particularly popular among younger Pakistanis.
A student expressed disappointment over the election: “In our view, Sharif did not win because Khan is in jail. A real election can only take place when Khan comes out. This cannot be called an election. All independent candidates, Khan’s party “We won in vain. This was a one-sided election, but Khan won. He should be released.”
The final election results have not yet been determined. Observers fear troubled times for Pakistan.
Charlotte Horn, ARD New Delhi, tagesschau, February 10, 2024 7:05 a.m