Pakistan election results are delayed, but wins are reported for independents backed by Khan’s party

LAHORE – The results of Pakistan’s elections had been not on time by connectivity problems Friday an afternoon after the vote that was marred by sporadic violence, a cell phone provider shutdown and the sidelining of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party.

Local media reported victories by independents backed by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party after the imprisoned Khan used to be disqualified from contesting the vote as a result of legal convictions he contends had been politically motivated.

PTI applicants ran as independents after the Supreme Court and Election Commission stated they couldn’t use the party image — a cricket bat. In Pakistan, events use symbols to assist illiterate electorate to find them at the ballots. PTI couldn’t hang rallies or open marketing campaign places of work, and its on-line occasions had been blocked, steps it contended had been unfair.

The leader election commissioner had prior to now stated the results can be communicated to the oversight frame by the early hours of Friday and launched to the general public after that. But that hasn’t took place. The Interior Ministry attributed the lengthen to a “lack of connectivity” on account of safety precautions.

Many Pakistani news channels reported that PTI-backed independents had been giving the other big parties, led by three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif and political dynasty scion Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, a run for their cash by striding forward in dozens of constituencies.

Senator Mushahid Hussain, a member of Sharif’s party, known as the media tallies “probably the biggest election upset in Pakistan’s political history” within the final 50 years. Withheld results had been a recipe for crisis, he stated on X, previously referred to as Twitter.

There are 266 seats up for grabs within the National Assembly, with an extra 70 reserved for girls and minorities. If no party wins an outright majority, the only with the most important percentage of the seats can shape a coalition govt.

Sharif struck a assured and defiant be aware on polling day, dismissing ideas his Pakistan Muslim League party would possibly now not win an outright majority within the parliament. But the temper out of doors his headquarters used to be other by dusk, with sparse crowds and no festivities.

He returned to the rustic final October after 4 years of self-imposed exile in a foreign country to steer clear of serving jail sentences. Within weeks of his go back, his convictions had been overturned, leaving him loose to hunt a fourth time period in place of job.