Former Pakistani Prime Ministers and Rivals Sharif and Khan Both Claim Election Victory

By Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam, Asif Shahzad, Ariba Shahid

ISLAMABAD – Former Pakistani Prime Ministers and rivals Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan both claimed victory following elections that were overshadowed by delayed results and militant violence, further deepening the country’s political instability.

Sharif’s party emerged as the leading single party in the elections held on Thursday, but candidates who ran as independents, many backed by Khan—whose party was barred from participating—secured the highest total of seats overall.

Sharif indicated his party’s intention to engage with other political factions to form a coalition government, as they failed to achieve a clear majority. His statement followed the reporting of results for more than three-quarters of the 265 seats, over a day after polling concluded amid violent incidents that resulted in 28 fatalities.

Analysts had anticipated a lack of clear victors in a nation already grappling with an economic crisis and escalating militancy within a divided political landscape.

The current results indicated that independents accounted for the majority of the seats—98 out of 245 counted by the latest update. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) received 69 seats, while the Pakistan People’s Party, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, secured 51.

Sharif, addressing supporters in Lahore, emphasized that the PML-N is the largest party in the current political landscape and expressed a commitment to help the nation recover. He invited all parties and independents to join hands in healing the country.

Khan, who has been imprisoned since August, countered Sharif’s claims through a message disseminated via social media. In the message, he congratulated his supporters for their “victory” and encouraged them to celebrate and defend their votes, asserting widespread electoral fraud against Sharif’s margin of victory.

Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was denied participation in the elections after facing a series of legal challenges. The former cricket star has faced multiple convictions for various offenses in the lead-up to the elections.

Sharif, who made a comeback from exile last year, expressed a desire to reach out to other parties, including former President Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP, to initiate coalition talks. In response, a senior aide from Khan’s team noted that PTI members would confer internally and plan to meet Khan in prison to discuss the outcomes.

The delayed election results, attributed to disruptions in mobile services deemed necessary for security, raised concerns regarding governance and political stability—critical issues in light of the country’s dire economic conditions.

Under Pakistan’s intricate electoral system, independent members are unable to form a government alone, although they can affiliate with parties post-election.

The prolonged announcement of results marked an unusual occurrence in Pakistan, contributing to a dip in the stock market and national bonds, reflecting the prevailing uncertainty.

The electoral contest was primarily viewed as a showdown between Khan-backed candidates and the PML-N. Speculation persists regarding military influence in the ongoing political pressures, with differing claims over which leader the military supports.

Analyzing the situation, experts conveyed that a coalition government would likely face significant challenges, particularly in securing a new bailout agreement from international financial institutions, as the current arrangements approach expiration.

Observers highlighted that a cohesive coalition could be difficult to maintain, potentially undermining the military’s credibility in a landscape of increasing instability, which may deepen existing crises rather than resolve them effectively.