Pakistan Elections: Independents Supported by Imran Khan Lead

The final results of the Pakistan elections indicate that independent candidates supported by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan are leading with 93 seats out of 264. According to Reuters, the party of Nawaz Sharif, another former Prime Minister of Pakistan, secured 75 seats in the voting held on Thursday, coming in second and failing to gain a majority but remaining the largest single party in parliament. The independents supported by Imran Khan participated individually in the elections. While coalition talks are underway and protesters have blocked roads in the northern part of the country, it remains unclear who will form the government. The final vote count was released by the Election Commission more than 60 hours after the polls closed, raising questions about the delay in announcing results. Both former Prime Ministers, who are fierce rivals, have declared victory, adding to the uncertainty and doubt about Pakistan's future. The country faces multiple immediate challenges, including negotiations for a new International Monetary Fund program to stabilize its troubled economy. A prime ministerial candidate must demonstrate that they have 169 seats in the National Assembly at the time of the call to form the assembly in the coming days. This will be determined by coalition discussions and whether Khan's supported candidates can join a smaller party in parliament to form a single block to secure reserved seats. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had threatened to hold peaceful nationwide protests on Sunday if the votes were not released. A police source and drivers reported that hundreds of PTI supporters blocked traffic in the northern city of Peshawar. The Pakistan Army described the election as successful; the international community called for transparency.