Pakistan Election Results: Who’s winning, what’s next for Imran Khan’s party-backed Independents?

Pakistan's Election Commission is yet to announce final election results. But, with Pakistan media reporting unofficial trends, political parties in the politically-divided country rushed to hold talks and mull a coalition to form a new government. However, the situation seems different for former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party.

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What we know about the Pakistan Election: Elections were held for 265 seats in Pakistan's national assembly. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate. A political party needs 133 seats for a simple majority. Overall, 169 seats are needed to secure a simple majority out of its total 336 seats, which include the reserved slots for women and minorities.

There were three main parties which contested the polls — Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N), (PML-N), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Leaders of the PTI contested polls as independent candidates after Pakistan's Supreme Court and the Election Commission said they couldn’t use the party symbol — a cricket bat.

Who is winning the Pakistan Elections? According to Pakistani media Dawn, the results of 245 out of the total 265 National Assembly constituencies were announced by late Friday. The results showed the independent candidates, mostly backed by Imran Khan, in the lead with 99 seats. The PML-N and PPP had won 69 and 52 seats, respectively. These two parties were set to bag most of the 70 reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the house, the report said.

Who will form the new Pakistan government? PML-N Nawaz Sharif, who is seeking a fourth record term as the prime minister, claimed that his party "emerged as single largest winning party in the country after polls". On Saturday, Geo TV reported that Sharif's party PML-N and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto have agreed to form a coalition government in the Centre and Punjab. This was despite both parties ruling alliances earlier.

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Meanwhile, Geo TV reported that PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan claimed that President Arif Alvi would invite his party (Imran Khan's party) to form the government as they had gotten a majority in the National Assembly.

What's next for Imran Khan's party? Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan also delivered a "victory speech" on Saturday as independent candidates backed by his party dominated the election results. Khan's senior aide was quoted by Reuters as saying on Saturday that their party, PTI, will try to form a national government with the most seats won in the polls.

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Hurdles before PTI-backed Independent candidates: Despite polling most votes as the trends majorly show, the PTI is still at a significant disadvantage. This is because of:

1. The country's Election Commission's decision to relieve the PTI of its iconic 'bat' symbol.

2. Its candidates are all technically ‘independent’, the party does not qualify for a share in reserved seats.

3. The barrage of cases against its top-tier leadership, Imran Khan, who is in jail since last August.

This means that even if the candidates it is backing clinch the highest number of seats, Imran Khan's party may not be able to form a government as it won't be allotted a quota of minority seats, Dawn reported. However, the report quoted a lawyer as saying was although the Election Commission had denied the PTI an election symbol, it had not delisted the party.

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What are the options before PTI-backed candidates:

Option 1: Independent candidates supported by the PTI could join any other existing party. Dawn cited Rule 92(6) of the election rules as saying that independent candidates will have three days following the notification of their victory to join a party.

Option 2: They could also support a political party

Option 3: They may be able to form a group with any name they like.

Option 4: If they stay united and choose to sit in the opposition, they will be in a comfortable position to clinch the office of opposition leader in the National Assembly, Dawn reported.

What happens finally, at the end of the day, is yet to be seen as political fervour remains high in Pakistan. Senior aide of Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan said if complete poll results are not announced by tonight, we will hold peaceful protests tomorrow, Reuters reported.