Pakistan poll results threaten Imran Khan's premiership

By Aamir Latif and Islamuddin Sajid

KARACHI / ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Pakistan’s election authority on Tuesday issued the final results of the July 25 elections but withheld the results of several winning candidates for various reasons, most notably Imran Khan, the presumed premier.

Pakistan’s Election Commission (ECP) issued the list of some 261 winning candidates, but withheld the notifications of nine newly elected parliamentarians, including Khan, who is set to become the country’s nineteenth premier, as well as Khawaja Asif, a former foreign minister.

The election commission halted the notification for Khan’s victory from two major constituencies – Lahore and Islamabad – but notification for his success from Mianwali, Bannu, and Karachi was issued “conditionally.”

Under the notification, Khan’s wins in the three constituencies will be subject to the commission’s final decision in pending cases for violations of its code of conduct.

Khan, whose center-right Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to form the government for the next five years in the wake of last month’s controversial elections, found himself in hot water after he was found guilty of violating ballot secrecy on July 25. Footage aired on multiple TV channels showed Khan stamping his ballot openly at a polling station in the capital Islamabad.

PTI on top, but no majority

Of the nine candidates whose results have been withheld, four each are from the PTI and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) of jailed ex-Premier Nawaz Sharif, while one belongs to the center-left Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Elections for two National Assembly seats were not held on July 25 due to the conviction of one candidate and the death of another.

The notification of Asif’s victory was withheld after a rival candidate petitioned for a recount.

In the July 25 elections, the PTI emerged as the single largest party but fell short of a simple majority in the National Assembly. The party will have to seek formal support from smaller parties or independents to elect the prime minister of its choice.

According to the election commission, the PTI has won 116 seats followed by PML(N) with 64, the PPP with 43, and Muttehida Majlis Amal (MMA) with 11.

Pakistan’s parliament consists of the two houses: the National Assembly (lower house) and the Senate (upper house).

National Assembly members are elected by popular vote for five years, whereas senators are elected by National Assembly members for six-year terms.

The National Assembly has 342 seats, including 272 filled through direct elections, while 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 for religious minorities. Reserved seats are later allotted to parties as per their number of general seats.

‘No effect on election of prime minister’

The election commission says the withholding of notifications will not affect the National Assembly’s election of its next prime minister, speaker, and deputy speaker, expected next week.

“We have withheld total nine notifications but it will not affect the election of the prime minister or speaker of the National Assembly,” Altaf Khan, election commission spokesman, told Anadolu Agency

“We issued conditional notifications for the wins of several candidates, including Imran Khan. But if the election commission’s decision comes against them, then all the notifications will be considered null and avoid,” he explained.