Nawaz Sharif calls for unity govt as Pakistan headed for hung parliament

PTI

Islamabad/Lahore, February 9

Former PM Nawaz Sharif on Friday called for a unity government as the cash-strapped Pakistan appeared to be heading towards a hung parliament, with independent candidates backed by jailed ex-premier Imran Khan’s party springing a surprise by winning 92 out of the 226 seats for which results have been declared so far.

Editorial: Pakistan polls

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Imran party-backed independents ‘ahead’

• Imran’s party has ruled out any alliance with the PML-N and the PPP, claiming that it is in a position to form government on its own.
• Independent candidates backed by Imran’s party have surprisingly won 92 seats so far. The PML-N has bagged 64 and PPP 50.

Addressing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters at the party’s central secretariat in Lahore, 74-year-old Sharif said his party respected the mandate of all parties, including the independent candidates backed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

According to the latest Election Commission data, results of 224 constituencies out of 265 were declared. Independent candidates (mostly supported by PTI) bagged 92 seats while PML-N got 64 and PPP 50. Smaller parties secured 19 seats.

To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 in the National Assembly. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate. Overall, 169 seats are needed to secure a simple majority out of its total 336 seats, which include the reserved slots for women and minorities.

Votes are still being counted after Thursday’s general election which was marred by allegations of rigging, sporadic violence and a countrywide mobile phone shutdown.

Changing his stance of not forging any alliance with any party, Sharif on Friday said that there was a need for all the political parties to sit together and form a government to pull Pakistan out of its difficulties.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has reached Lahore and is likely to meet PML-N leadership regarding the formation of government, according to media reports.

Earlier, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan ruled out forging an alliance with the PPP and the PML-N, saying his party was in a position to form a government on its own.

Imran Khan is behind bars and barred from contesting. PTI candidates are running as independents after they were not allowed to use the party symbol — a cricket bat.

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