Vote counting is in progress in Pakistan following Thursday’s general election, marred by mobile service suspension and unrest.
The announcement of results has been sluggish, prompting election officials to press local authorities for a faster process. Imran Khan’s disqualified and imprisoned party asserts that the delay signals potential vote manipulation. Informal results from TV channels indicate that Khan’s allies are currently leading.
Disqualified last year due to corruption charges, Khan was unable to participate in the election. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had to present candidates as independents, challenging the party of Nawaz Sharif. Sharif’s brother, Shehbaz, assumed Khan’s position two years ago.
With 128 million registered voters, nearly half of whom are under 35, and over 5,000 candidates (including 313 women) vying for 266 directly elected seats, economic challenges and escalating violence have impacted millions.
Anticipated results are unusually delayed, with the Election Commission of Pakistan attributing the slowdown to an “internet issue.” Despite the setback, PTI leaders claim an imminent victory based on early returns, while Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) finds the preliminary results promising.
The government suspended mobile services due to attacks disrupting the vote, resulting in at least nine casualties, according to the military. An internet blackout affected voters’ ability to reach polling stations and coordinate, prompting critics to denounce it as a “cowardly act.”
While election day violence was limited, isolated incidents occurred, including a bomb attack in Dera Ismail Khan that claimed the lives of four police officials. Bomb attacks on candidates’ offices in Balochistan killed 28 people on Wednesday.
PML-N and PPP were major contenders, but identifying PTI-backed candidates proved challenging due to a symbol ban. PTI alleges various tactics, including arrests, rally bans, and symbol changes, aimed at hindering their candidates.
Imran Khan, currently serving a minimum 14-year prison term, alleges interference by the military. Despite his imprisonment, voters could choose Nawaz Sharif, whose lifetime ban was overturned, enabling him to seek an unprecedented fourth term.
