Live: Elections 2024

As the protests against alleged rigging in the election intensified in several parts of the country, PPP leaders and the candidates who won the national and provincial assembly seats from Balochistan at a joint presser announced that the party would form a coalition government, led by a jiyala chief minister.

It was unfortunate that defeated candidates and their parties had started criticising institutions, officers and candidates in strong words, the MNAs-elect and MPAs-elect regretted while addressing the press conference here on Wednesday.

They said the PPP emerged as the single majority party in the province by clinching 11 seats, as all other parties could not win on as many seats. Having the majority seats, their party had the right to form a government in Balochistan, they said, adding that other parties were being approached for the formation of a coalition government.

The MNAs-elect who spoke at the presser include former chief minister of Balochistan Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani and Malik Shah, while Haji Ali Madad Jattak, Obaidullah, Abdul Samad, Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi and Mir Asghar Rind were among the speakers who have been declared successful on the provincial assembly seats.

Read more here.

Re-polling is to be held today in several polling stations of NA-88 (Khushab II), PS-18 (Ghotki I) and PK-90 (Kohat I), according to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

In an earlier statement, the ECP had said that elections would be re-conducted in 26 polling stations of NA-88 as the polling material had been burned by a crowd.

It further said that polls would be held again in two stations of PS-18 as “unknown men had snatched polling material” there.

The reason for re-election in more than a dozen polling stations of PK-90 was the “polling material there being damaged by terrorists”, the ECP had said.

MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that if the PPP is ready to become a part of the government then his party would be fully ready to cooperate with it.

“This is not our matter but of Pakistan’s. We don’t have an enmity with the PPP. We want genuine democracy.”

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that negotiations regarding government formation have still not kicked off.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, he said the party was clear that it would take all decisions of an immediate nature that were needed.

MQM-P delegation visited the Awami National Party’s (ANP) office in Karachi to discuss the post-election scenario and ways to work together.

Holding a joint media talk after the meeting, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the country now needed a “real democracy” that could serve its citizen.

ANP leader Shahi Syed said injustices done to the province of Sindh should be rectified. “We will focus on resolving core issues faced together and work together,” he added.

A PTI-backed independent candidate, Ejaz Swati, who won the PS-88 Malir seat from Karachi, has joined the PPP.

In a statement released by the PPP, Swati expressed his commitment to the prosperity and development of his constituency through his affiliation with the party.

“I believe that the PPP will actively work for the betterment of the constituency,” he stated, emphasising his unconditional decision to become part of the PPP.

PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan has hinted at coming to terms with the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite an earlier “misunderstanding”.

Speaking on a Geo News programme today, he said: “Maybe we decide something with them in KP. There might have been a misunderstanding with them earlier.”

The PTI-backed independent candidate who won his National Assembly seat from Swat in the 2024 general elections expressed that he appreciated JI’s role in the past.

He also commended JI leader Hafiz Naeem for setting an example by forgoing his seat on accounts of rigging.

“I respect them with all my heart. After PTI I respect them the most because they have internal democracy within their party,” Khan added.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has complained about restrictions imposed due to threat alerts from security agencies about possible attacks on the party.

In an interview with Hum News, he said: “The establishment’s [dealing] with us, we used to get threat letters daily which they portray with good wishes and we say you were stopping us. And if we don’t stop then you attack us and open the door for it and eliminate our security.”

PML-N leader Khawaja Asif has made it clear that party supremo Nawaz Sharif will remain the decision-maker even without the premiership.

Speaking on a Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, the former defence minister said Nawaz would have a “factual role” in the formation of the government and afterwards.

“Obviously, Shehbaz has the support of Nawaz,” he said. “Nawaz is the Quaid. Even if he doesn’t become PM, every last decision will be his.”

Asif maintained that apart from some, most of the general elections in the country have been controversial.

“Despite this, things did move forward. I feel the system should not be disrupted,” he said. “Even we have reservations in these elections. You cannot say fair and free polls were held.”

In response to a question, Asif said there would always be a risk of PPP “pulling the rug”, adding that PML-N has initiated talks with PPP leaders over this. “Once the way to get the economy on track is achieved, a way for political stability will also be found,” he added.

Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi has said that legal forums are available for the redressal of complaints regarding elections, Radio Pakistan reports.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said any candidate can approach the legal forums if they have any complaints.

Regarding the summoning of the National Assembly session, Solangi said the summary to convene the sitting of the House would be issued with his signature. He added that the session would be summoned at an appropriate time.

The minister highlighted that the Election Commission of Pakistan has to notify poll results within 14 days after the elections. He noted that these 21 days will be completed on the 29th of this month, hence, a session of the National Assembly can be summoned at any time until that date.

The coordination and liaison committees of the PPP and PML-N met for a consultative meeting in Islamabad today.

According to a statement released by the PPP, proposals to counter inflation, unemployment and poverty were discussed in the meeting.

Both sides also agreed on the need for a stable democratic government in Pakistan to deal with economic, political, legal and security challenges.

The statement added that another meeting will be held tomorrow in which the PML-N representatives in other provinces will participate.

The PML-N has said that six more newly elected Punjab Assembly members have joined the party.

In a post on X, it said the freshly inducted members included Sultan Bajwa from Nankana Sahib’s PP-132, Shazia Tareen from Lodhran, Mehmood Qadir Laghari and Hanif Patafi from Dera Ghazi Khan, Taimur Lali from Chiniot and Ali Asgar from Leh.

PTI leader Taimur Khan Jhagra has claimed that “unprecedented rigging” took place in the Feb 8 polls.

“Specifically in Peshawar, I keep on saying that that the blatant falsification of results on 8 seats has been done in a way that cannot be hidden,” he wrote in a post on X.

Jhagra also expressed surprise that JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman and ANP’s Aimal Wali would “vouch for the rigging done on my seat”.

The Awami National Party has said its protests against “rigged elections” would commence from Swabi on February 20, followed by Charsadda.

The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) has said that the highest voter turnout in Pakistan’s 12th general election was from Tharparkar in Sindh while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan saw the lowest number of voters.

According to a report, 60.6 million voters exercised their right to vote on February 8. “Nearly 5.8 million more people voted in GE-2024 as compared to 2018 when 54.8 million had cast their votes,” Fafen said.

The report added that despite an increase in voters, the turnout dipped from 52.1 per cent in 2018 to 47.6pc in 2024, primarily due to an increase in the number of registered voters from 106 million in 2018 to 128.6 million in 2024.

“In addition, harsh winter in parts of the country, fears of violence and terrorism in KP and Balochistan as well as uncertainty about the conduct of elections may have also adversely affected the turnout,” it added.

The Fafen report is based on the analysis of Form 47 of the 264 National Assembly constituencies published on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s website.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar has said that “robbing” the PTI of its public mandate through “horse trading” would increase anger on the streets and lead to instability.

“Pakistani voters have given a clear mandate to PTI. They bestowed it with a 2/3 majority in the National Assembly & 2 provincial assemblies. The voters did not vote for a hung parliament, they completely rejected PMLN & they opted for a strong majority led by PTI,” he said in a post on X.

JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said the Parliament belonged to everyone.

In response to a question regarding a coalition with the PTI, he said: “Our conflict is with their minds, not their bodies. We hope this issue will be resolved.”

To another query, Fazl stated that the JUI-F was not subservient to both the PPP and the PML-N. “We are not the government’s coalition partners,” he added.

JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said the Election Commission of Pakistan’s role “from day one has been dubious”.

At a press conference in Islamabad, he claimed that the electoral watchdog rejected petitions filed by the JUI-F’s candidates.

“On Feb 22, we will hold a meeting with the JUI-F’s local general council, on Feb 25 we will hold a meeting in Balochistan, we will hold a meeting in KP on Feb 27 and meetings will be held in Karachi and Lahore on March 3 and March 5,” he added.

JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman has invited PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to sit in the opposition benches with the former.

At a news conference, he claimed that the election results clearly showed that bribes were taken from successful and unsuccessful candidates. “Some were even given entire assemblies in return for money.”

“I therefore invite the PML-N and Nawaz to come with us and sit in the opposition,” he added.

JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman has said his party would play its parliamentary role but would become a part of the assemblies with reservations.

At a press conference, he said the JUI-F wanted a National Assembly that was truly represented by the people “without the intervention from the establishment”.

“Defeating the JUI-F through poll rigging was a conspiracy of anti-Islamic elements. Our fault is that we played our role in mending the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which is not acceptable to the US.

“Our fault is that we spoke up against Israeli actions in Gaza and supported Hamas,” Fazl stated.

He added that the JUI-F was an ideological force and would not compromise on any of its stances. “Our workers are determined to start a movement based on our history and sacrifices.

“If the establishment believes that elections were free and fair, then that means the army’s May 9 narrative has been buried,” Fazl alleged.

JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman says his party has rejected the results of the February 8 elections, alleging that the rigging witnessed during these polls was unmatched.

He rejected the Election Commission of Pakistan’s statement in which it declared the polls free and fair.

“In the eyes of JUI-F, the Parliament has lost its important and democracy is losing its case. It seems as if decisions will now be taken in the ground and not Parliament,” he said.

On February 11, 2024, a video message of politician Javed Akhtar circulated on social media platform X with the claim that he was forcibly made to win the general elections and refused to accept this.

The caption quoted him as saying: “I have been forced to win. my opponent Sardar Farhat (PTI) had won. Defeating the winner is an insult to the people’s mandate.”

“Independent candidate Javed Lund refuses to take fake mandate. Condemns rigging, congratulates PTI candidate,” the caption further said but did not mention which constituency Akhtar has supposedly won from.

However, Javed did not say this nor did he win in the constituencies he was contesting.

Read full story here.

PPP Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi has rejected PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat’s claims that Asif Ali Zardari was making attempts to reach out to the PTI.

Earlier today, Marwat said Zardari was trying to contact the PTI through “middlemen”.

However, in an interview with Geo News, Kundi rubbished these claims and said: “If this is the PTI’s official stance then a serious person should come forward and talk about it.”

The PPP leader stated that now that the PTI was “making up things” after realising that there was no way for it to form a government in the Centre. “If we had reached out to the PTI, we would have done it through a proper forum,” he added.

Sher Afzal Marwat has claimed that PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was making attempts to reach out to the PTI through “middlemen”.

“The party’s leadership held a discussion over it last night,” the PTI leader said in a media talk. “The PPP has hinted that the PTI can get its seats back under the due process of law.

“But the PPP clearly stated that its choice was PTI instead of PML-N,” Marwat claimed.

The PTI leader said he would discuss this development in a meeting with Imran Khan at Adiala Jail tomorrow.

Former PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar has said the situation in Balochistan had deteriorated with strikes and protests impacting routine life in the province following the Feb 8 general elections.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khokhar said it was becoming difficult to “cover up the election rigging”.

Jamaat-i-Islami has declined the PTI’s offer to form a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that the latter changed its position “at the last minute”.

In a post on social media platform X, JI’s Central Naib Emir Liaqat Baloch said his party had held a meeting with the PTI after the February 8 elections for a consensus on the way forward.

He said the JI had communicated its displeasure at the poll results but welcomed the PTI-backed MNAs who won through the public’s mandate. Baloch said the JI had also extended its unconditional cooperation with these MNAs in terms of party and constitutional and parliamentary protection.

“The PTI welcomed this but in the last stage conveyed the message that they only wanted a coalition for the government in KP,” the JI leader said.

“JI has decided that coalition with PTI at the national level would be in the national interest, but if the PTI has changed its position, then they can settle their affairs with whoever they want in KP,” Baloch added.

PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari says former premier Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, who is currently serving two sentences at Adiala Jail, is being denied the basic rights of a prisoner.

“Today the family of Former First Lady Bushra Bibi was supposed to meet her as per law. It was cancelled yet again. Since her arrest, she has only been allowed one meeting with her daughter for 7 mins,” Bukhari said in a post on X.

Thousands of workers have joined Awami National Party (ANP) Balochistan president Asghar Khan Achakzai in a sit-in that has now entered its sixth day, the party said.

According to a post on X, the workers are protesting alleged rigging and a change in results of PB-51 Chaman.

The JUI-F says its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will hold an “important” press conference later in the evening.

PTI leader Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra has said that the eight seats “stolen seats” in Peshawar will be pursued.

“The shameful rigging in the 2024 elections has left a trail like never before, starting with the undeniable record of Form 45s,” he said.

Former planning minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that a challenge for “older parties is to align their politics with the new emerging socio-economic dynamics”.

In a post on X, Iqbal emphasised that older political parties needed to “create space for these segments in their party structures”.

The PML-N leader highlighted that ex-premier Imran Khan’s politics was based on “middle and educated classes and youth rebellion against traditional politics”, where there was “no meaningful space for them”.

“Worldwide electoral politics has become vulnerable to manipulation with [a] lethal combination of data science and technology for shaping narratives and micro-targeting the voters. Older parties have to up their response,” he added.

PTI Senior Vice President Sher Afzal Marwat has alleged that former premier and PPP candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani, who emerged victorious from NA-148, “lost by 6,500 votes” according to the Form-45.

Speaking to the media, Marwat claimed Gilani was “made to win by a margin of 104 votes” according to the provisional results issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

PTI-backed independent candidate Barrister Taimur Malik was contesting against the ex-prime minister from Multan.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has said that there is “no truth” in assumptions that party supremo Nawaz Sharif is staying away from politics because he did not choose to be the party’s candidate for the premiership.

In a post on X, Maryam said, “During the next five years, not only would he actively participate in politics but also lead his governments in the Centre and Punjab.”

She further said that Nawaz had “made it clear in his election speeches that he would not be a part of any coalition government”.

Pakistan Muslim League-Zia President Ijazul Haq has said he would consult his “party and friends” on PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat’s offer to “remain in a group” in the next government.

Haq has met Shujaat a day after the PML-Q affirmed support for a PML-N-led coalition setup.

Addressing a press conference, Haq said, “As Chaudhry sahib said, a lot of people from Islamabad, Pindi have come to meet him today, as well as Tariq Cheema.

“So we discussed among ourselves [and] Shujaat sahib had said to me that we should remain in a group [in the next government] so I told him that I will consult my party and friends,” the son of former military dictator Zia said.

He added that he would meet Shujaat again soon and “see how we can move forward”.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the arrest of independent candidate Daniyal Aziz, his wife Mehnaz Akber Aziz, and his son following the February 8 elections.

Daniyal, who is a former federal minister, was already in police custody when his wife and son were arrested. Prior to Mahnaz’s arrest, she had claimed that Daniyal was being illegally detained for rigging the election, which he has denied. She added that more than 100 of their supporters had been arrested.

“HRCP deplores the authorities’ high-handedness against independent candidate Daniyal Aziz and his wife, former MNA Mehnaz Akber Aziz, and their son, in Narowal soon after the elections,” the commission said in a statement on X.

“Mr Aziz had been arrested earlier by the police on unknown charges while visiting polling stations in his constituency on polling day. All cases of unwarranted force against political candidates, their families and supporters must be investigated and those responsible held to account,” the HRCP added.

PTI-backed independent candidate Barrister Taimur Malik has said he “just received” a copy of the election commission’s letter to NA-148’s returning officer, highlighting the delay in the processing of his complaint.

Shared by Malik on X, the letter on his complaint about “denial of access” to the RO’s office during the provisional consolidation of poll results was issued on February 9 and stated that the matter may be treated as “most urgent”.

“This is why it’s important to document irregularities — this establishes a pattern of wrong-doing and shall need to be looked into by the superior courts,” he added.

Senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah has said that the party would instead go for the chairmanship of the National Assembly standing committees, instead of ministries.

“The ministries which will go to the PML-N, we will go for those standing committees,” he said. “Committees are more powerful than ministries,” he said while speaking to Dawn.com correspondent Nadir Guramani.

PTI’s Babar Awan has claimed that the incoming government was being formed through “lotabazi”.

“I want to tell the turncoats that you will be disqualified under the spirit of Article 63 of the Constitution,” he warned. “We have the statements and affidavits of all these people.”

Article 63-A outlines the process to disqualify a lawmaker who votes against the party line in the assembly during the election of the prime minister or chief minister, vote of confidence or no-confidence and budget.

“The majority is standing today […] the future of the country lies in the hands of Pakistanis, not any mafia and those trying to impose a mafia in the country will be defeated,” Awan added.

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has claimed that the PTI has “changed its stance” on their plan regarding cooperation in the upcoming government.

A day after the PTI said it would join the JI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to form the provincial government, JI spokesperson Qaiser Sharif said that both parties had agreed to “cooperate on the national level in the national interest”.

“Tehreek-i-Insaf changed its stance,” Sharif said in a statement.

“They can settle their affairs in KP with whoever they wish; the JI would be glad.”

Babar Awan has demanded the immediate release of PTI founder Imran Khan, saying that the leader of the “largest party in the country” was needed in the formation of the new government.

He lauded the PTI chief’s decision to nominate Ali Amin Gandapur as the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that he was the party’s lion who had stuck with Imran through thick and thin.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed to conduct repolling in six polling stations of NA-43 (Dera Ismail Khan/Tank) on Saturday, Radio Pakistan reports.

According to ECP, polling was restrained in these polling stations due to the law and order situation, the report added.

Former PTI leader and ex-human rights minister Shireen Mazari has said that it is PTI founder Imran Khan’s “right not to” negotiate with other parties.

In a post on X, she wondered, “Why would he sit with those who continue to steal the people’s mandate; who [as] PDM govt persecuted him, his leaders and workers; and who have been rejected in election 2024 by the people?”

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed to halt the vote recount and any other proceedings in PB-21 Hub.

The ECP on Sunday had announced a recount in 39 polling stations of Hub’s PB-21 constituency in Balochistan.

According to a notification issued today, the electoral watchdog said it was informed on Feb 12 by the provincial election commissioner and the returning officer that “some miscreants have entered the RO office and resorted to tampering of polling record forcibly resulting in grave law and order situation”.

Subsequently, the ECP has set up a four person fact-finding committee to investigate the matter. It has also directed to halt the vote recount process till further orders.

PML-N ex-minister Rana Tanveer Hussain has said that party senior vice-president Maryam Nawaz, also the daughter of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, would become the “first female chief minister of Punjab”.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has withheld the results of NA-253 and PB-9 Kohlu and ordered re-election in seven polling stations after receiving some complaints.

Independent candidate Mian Khan Bugti was elected from NA-253 after defeating Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti.

According to an ECP notification, the polling will be held from 8am to 5pm on Feb 16.

Read more here.

PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan has said that Imran’s “mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night”.

In a post on X, Hasan said, “Pakistan is being put on [the] road to further destabilisation.”

Referring to a possible coalition government led by the PML-N, he said, “The decision to induct a bunch of criminals to form governments, who have been rejected by the people, reflects a myopic view of the grave challenges the country is beset with.”

The PTI spokesperson said the current situation was “striking at the very essence of democratic principles and norms”, as well as reflected a “disdain for the national interests and the welfare of its people”.

“Forces of dark must be stopped and power must pass on to those whom the people have chosen as their leaders,” Hasan added.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam—Fazl (JUI-F) has managed to secure two more National Assembly seats from Balochistan after its candidates were declared winners following a recount. Its total NA seats now stand at 6.

JUI-F Secretary General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Molvi Syed Samiullah were declared winners from NA-261 and NA-251, respectively.

According to the provisional results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan, which were available on its website till late Tuesday night, BNP-Mengal’s Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Pashtoonkhwa National Party’s (PkNAP) Khushal Khan Kakar had won from NA-261 and NA-251, respectively.

Read more here.

PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood has expressed surprise at the “gumption” of politicians who he claims have “lost their seats yet claim victory with a straight face”.

In a post on X, Mahmood said, “With such a legacy they also promise to ‘save’ Pakistan. God help us.”

The Lahore High Court has dismissed the petitions against the victory of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from NA-130, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif from PP-164 and his son Hamza Shehbaz from PP-147 with a direction to the petitioners to appro­a­­ch the Election Commis­sion of Pakistan (ECP).

PTI’s Punjab chapter president Dr Yasmin Rashid, who lost the election from NA-130, had challenged the victory of Nawaz Sharif.

Her counsel argued that respondent Sharif lost the election as per the record of Form 45, yet the returning officer (RO) declared him successful on the basis of alleged manipulated Form 47.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi dismissed all the petitions and observed that the constitutional petitions were not maintainable before the high court without availing the first remedy under the law.

Read more here.

Lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii has said that if the cases against the tabulation of Form 47 results “do not end up in clear resolutions for each constituency”, bar members and judges “should really reflect upon” what their professions are worth.

In a post on X, he said, “If these Form 45/47 issues don not end up in clear resolutions for each constituency, members of the bars as well as the benches should really reflect upon what we do and what our professions are worth.

“The law must mean more to the people than a system of inconvenience,” he added.

Two of Balochistan’s political parties have decided to launch a protest movement against the alleged election rigging, describing the Feb 8 polls as the worst in the country’s history.

Pashtoonkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP) Chairman Khushhal Khan Kakar and Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) President Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti told separate press conferences on Tuesday that their parties would launch a peaceful protest against the “rigged” elections.

Kakar pledged to expose those involved in rigging and announced that from today, highways leading from Quetta to Karachi, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Chaman and other cities would be closed for an indefinite period if the results of rigging were not corrected within two days.

He appealed to all Baloch, Pashtoon and Hazara nationalist party leaders, in­­cluding Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Ach­­akzai, to join hands with PkNAP in the movement launched against the alleged rigging.

Read more here.

The PTI has said that the best option for the PML-N is to “accept [its] defeat gracefully” and let their party founder Imran Khan “fix and heal the country”.

In a post on X, the party’s official account asked, “Can anyone from PML-N camp explain how PML-N won only 17 seats and what are they supposed to do with newspaper headlines that Nawaz Sharif be PM?”

It should be mentioned that Nawaz has nominated his brother and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif for the role of the prime minister.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued victory notifications for a dozen members of the National Assembly including PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and three other members of his family.

As per the ECP’s notification the former prime minister has been declared a returned candidate from NA-130 (Lahore), his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif from NA-123 (Lahore), daughter Mar­yam Nawaz from NA-119 (Lahore) and nephew Hamza Shehbaz Sharif from NA-118 (Lahore).

The piecemeal issuance of notifications for publication in the official gazette in deviation from the tradition made many wonder if those declared successful have submitted details of the election expenses with the commission.

The commission has also declared PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar a winner from NA-127 (Lahore) and Muhammad Awn Chaudhry of IPP from NA-128 (Lahore).

ECP has also notified the victory of PML-N provincial president from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ameer Muqam, from NA-11 (Shangla).

Read more here.

As per the Election Commission of Pakistan’s tally, the total number of general seats won by the six parties which announced their plans to form a coalition led by Shehbaz Sharif — PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, IPP and BAP — comes to 152.

This clearly shows that these parties will easily achieve the minimum required number of 169 to form the government at the Centre after the addition of 60 women and 10 minority seats in their tally.

However, it is yet to be seen if these parties will be able to get to the next magic number of 224, which is required to obtain the elusive two-thirds majority in a 336-member National Assembly.

If the PTI-backed candidates decide to join the Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), as announced by the party, it will get a share in the women and minorities seats as well.

However, since the MWM has only won a seat only from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI would only be entitled to a share in the 10 reserved seats allocated to women from that province.

Read more here.

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif feels he can best support Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister and Maryam Nawaz as Punjab chief minister by helping them from behind and looking at party affairs.

Talking to Geo News, she said committees were being formed in every political party about the power-sharing setup in any future government.

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif has nominated party president Shehbaz Sharif for the post of the country’s prime minister.

She added that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz was nominated for the post of Punjab’s chief minister.

PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has said reconciliation is needed in the current political situation and the PTI is also included in that process.

“This is not that we want that PTI does not enter reconciliation. It should and every other political force should, come and talk with us. Our economic and defence agenda should be common. We should move forward with our commonalities and then make the house of Sharif and others successful so we can make Pakistan successful.”

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has called for an end to “issues of ego”, adding that the need is for “revolutionary steps” to rescue the country’s economy.

“Come and I again invite the Charter of Economy to everyone. Come, move forward and let’s together promote the Charter of Democracy and end the things we said against one another.”

He said the enemies of the nation should be shown that it is united.

“Forgive and forget. Let us have this charter of reconciliation.”

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has requested his brother Nawaz Sharif to accept the office of the prime minister.

He also said that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz will be the Punjab chief minister candidate after the party’s consultations.

Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Aleem Khan has said that Pakistan was going through an extremely difficult phase with inflation impacting the poor and economic crisis aggravating.

Addressing a press conference with political bigwigs in attendance, Khan said everyone had to step up for difficult decisions, which were beneficial for the country.

“I am hopeful the upcoming government of Shehbaz Sharif will efficiently take such decisions and end miseries of the poor,” he added.

He said he was thankful to Chaudhry Shujaat for inviting all political leaders for important discussions.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said the next task on the agenda is to solve the country’s economic issues.

“Today we have united to tell the nation that we all accept the split mandate. I am thankful to Zardari and Bilawal that they decided for their party to vote for the PML-N,” he said and thanked the other gathered leaders as well.

Shehbaz said the other gathered parties with represented him “almost 2/3 majority” of the Parliament after elections.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said the political leaders together with him have gathered to tell the nation that election politics of opposition was over and now was the time with the Parliament to form.

“Now our war is against the country’s challenges. The first challenge is the economy. We have to stabilise it which is a tall task. Nations move forward when their leadership unites and decides to end conflicts and take the nation forward to eliminate problems.”

MQM-Pakistan Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that no interest could be greater than serving Pakistan for any party at the moment.

“With mutual cooperation, we will strengthen democracy and support Mian Shehbaz Sharif. We have supported him before and will do so in future,” he told a news conference with political bigwigs including Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and others present alongside.

Siddiqui said everyone must put aside their political interests and move ahead with a common approach to serve the country.

PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has said that he and other political leaders realise the level of debt in the country and are aware of the issues affecting the country.

“Looking at everything, we have thought and decided to sit together. We have contested elections against each other but despite that, it is not necessary that [we fight] forever. Opposition happens in elections. It was electioneering opposition, not ideological opposition.”

Zardari said the leaders could sit together and talk together and run the country together.