Khan claims shock win in Pakistan poll amid military clampdown

IMRAN KHAN claimed yesterday night that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had won Pakistan’s election, defying the country’s military, which has been accused of fixing the vote to keep him out of power.

Provisional results revealed a high turnout for Mr Khan’s candidates, even though the former premier and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were jailed for seven years after a district court ruled their 2018 marriage violated the law. It was the third sentence for Khan and the second for his wife this week.

Mr Khan claimed victory in a video message created using artificial intelligence. The jailed former prime minister rejected his rival Nawaz Sharif ’s earlier claim to victory, calling on his supporters to celebrate.

The army was widely thought to have thrown its weight behind Mr Sharif.

The surge bucked predictions that Mr Sharif would easily gain power and delivered a rebuke to a military establishment accused of engineering the vote against Mr Khan.

Yesterday night Mr Sharif admitted his party had been unable to secure an outright majority and said he would enter coalition talks with other parties.

Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, said there were serious concerns about the fairness of the elections. He said: “We regret that not all parties were formally permitted to contest the elections and that legal processes were used to prevent some political leaders from participation, and to prevent the use of recognisable party symbols.”

Lord Cameron added that Britain had noted restrictions imposed on internet access on polling day.

The US called for an investigation into allegations of electoral fraud. Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesman, said: “We join credible international and local election observers in their assessment that these elections included undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

“We condemn electoral violence… and are concerned about allegations of interference. Claims of interference or fraud should be investigated,” he added.

A day after the polls closed, candidates loyal to PTI had won around 70 of the 266 seats in the national assembly. Mr Sharif ’s Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) had won around 60 and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) around 50.

The support for Mr Khan came despite a long clampdown against his party that had forced candidates to run as independents. His workers have complained of arrest and harassment and the party leadership is either in prison or unable to campaign openly.