The political landscape in Pakistan took an unexpected turn as major parties united to form a coalition government under the leadership of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, leaving Imran Khan's party lamenting the loss of its mandate. This move came as a surprise, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) naming Shehbaz Sharif, instead of the party's founder Nawaz Sharif, as the prime ministerial candidate.
Raoof Hasan, the Central Information Secretary of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, expressed strong dissatisfaction, alleging that Imran’s “mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night”.
Highlighting the electoral success of independent candidates backed by PTI, Hasan criticized the potential coalition government, labeling its members as "criminals" rejected by the people. Despite PTI-backed candidates securing the most seats in Parliament, forming a government requires a majority of 133 seats out of the 265 contested ones in the 266-member National Assembly.
While Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister, remains incarcerated due to corruption charges, PTI-backed candidates contested as independents due to controversies surrounding the party's organizational elections and the loss of their election symbol.
The PTI spokesperson condemned the situation, stating that it undermines democratic principles and neglects national interests. Hasan urged for the empowerment of leaders chosen by the people, denouncing the influence of dark forces in the political process.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, independent candidates secured a significant number of seats, followed by PML-N, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and other parties. However, the formation of a new government is anticipated to take time, with procedures such as submission of election expense details and allocation of reserved seats yet to be completed.
The process involves newly elected members joining political parties, followed by the administration of oaths and subsequent elections for key positions in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies. While the first session of the assembly is expected within 21 days after the polls, the formation of a new government is projected to be finalized by the beginning of the next month, once all procedural hurdles are overcome.
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