Imran Khan wins vote, but no majority

ISLAMABAD: Cricket hero Imran Khan has swept to an emphatic victory in a disputed Pakistan election, but without a majority, he will need to enter a coalition to take power in the country.

A jubilant Imran had already declared victory in the pivotal vote, which has drawn allegations from rival parties of massive vote-rigging in his favour.

The Election Commission said yesterday with only 11 seats left to count, Imran’s Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) enjoyed a strong lead with 114 seats, and will be the biggest party in parliament.

The commission said the outgoing Muslim League-Nawaz had 63 seats and the Pakistan People’s Party, which could prove kingmaker in a coalition government, had won 43.

The count indicates PTI will not achieve the 137 seats needed in the National Assembly to form a majority government in its own right.

Analysts had long predicted that if he took power it would have to be via coalition, with doubts over the level of support for him nationally.

But the size of his lead still took many by surprise, and had helped fuel suspicion over vote rigging on Wednesday and Thursday.

Analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said observers might have underestimated the depth of feeling among Pakistan’s growing middle class.

“The military, the judiciary, the professional middle class supported him. This is a middle class revolution,” Siddiqa said.

“Remember, they grew up on this narrative of a corrupt Pakistan being damaged and needing a new leadership.

“In all this hue and cry, we didn’t notice there is another Pakistan there that wanted this change.”