Imran to be Pak PM before Aug. 14
■ Party alleges rigging of elections, to seek vote recount in many seats
Imran Khan will be sworn in as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister before the country’s Independence Day on August 14, his party has announced as it is trying to reach out to smaller parties and independents to form the next government.
The Pakistan Tehreek- iInsaf ( PTI), led by 65- yearold Khan, has emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly after the July 25 elections, but it is still short of numbers to form the government on its own.
PTI leader Naeenul Haq told media on Saturday night that consultations are on to complete the number game.
According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan ( ECP), the PTI has won 116 seats.
Jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz ( PML- N) with 64 seats and former President Asif Ali Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party ( PPP) with 43 seats are placed at number two and three respectively, it said. Pakistan’s National Assembly comprises a total of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected. A party needs 172 seats to form the government.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement ( MQM) on Sunday said it will not become part of the Pakistan Tehrik- e- Insaf ( PTI) led government.
The party alleged the elections were rigged. MQM leader Faisal Subzwari said in Karachi that he was going to Islamabad with petitions to hold vote recounts in different constituencies, adding that Farooq Sattar adopted the stance of the party at the All Party Conference.
He said that the workers of MQM were summoned for a key meeting during which the strategy for protest will be devised.
Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan ( ECP) had announced final results of all the constituencies of the national and provincial Assemblies, more than 56 hours after the conclusion of voting for the 2018 General Elections.
Imran Khan’s PTI has won 116 of the 270 National Assembly seats, emerging as the largest political party in the country. The Pakistan Muslim League ( Nawaz) grabbed 64 seats, while the Pakistan People’s Party ( PPP) is in third place with 43 National Assembly seats.
The Mutahida Majlis Amal ( MMA) secured 12 seats and Pakistan Muslim League ( Quiad- e- Azam) Balochistan Natioanl Party, Mutahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan, and Balochistan Awami Party secured 4, 03, 06, and 04
seat respectively. Awami National Party ( ANP) has won one seat, Awami Muslim League ( AML), Pakistan Tehrik- e- Insaniyat and Jamhoori Wattan Party ( JWP) have also grabbed one NA seat
each. Fourteen independent candidates have also remained successful in their constituencies. They may play an important role in formation of the federal government.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan will be sworn in as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister before the country’s Independence Day on August 14, his party announced as it tried to reach out to smaller parties and independents.