AS PER UNOFFICIAL, UNCONFIRMED RESULTS: PML-N, PPP, INDEPENDENTS, MQM-P ON TOP EMERGING SLOTS

Karachi: Amidst unexpected delay in declaring the results by the Election Commission of Pakistan mainly citing the reasons of absence of internet services, the preliminary results of the 2024 general elections have begun to emerge from various national and provincial constituencies but not the complete results.

The election drive concluded yesterday with results awaited till midnight.The incompetency and the poor management of the Election Commission of Pakistan received massive criticisms whereas some quarters questioned the credibility of the Chief Election Commissioner and asked for his resignation.

In the light of the unconfirmed and unofficial results, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is leading from the front, Pakistan Peoples’ Party on the second top slot whereas the PTI-backed Independent candidates likely to attain third highest votes across Pakistan in the general elections.

In Sindh, Pakistan Peoples’ Party likely to clean sweep the elections across the province whereas in a much surprising results Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan also on the way to attain huge number of seats both in National and the Provincial assemblies.

Projections of first results indicate that no party could attain an outright majority, although political bigwigs Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto are gradually widening the margin of victory against their contestants.

As per unverified and unconfirmed reports, the PML-N is on its way to reclaim its political stronghold of Lahore, with its election candidates attaining lead over competitors on 12 out of a total of 14 national assembly seats.

Former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif is leading in Lahore’s NA-130. Likewise, PML-N leaders Shehbaz Sharif is inching towards victory in NA-123, Hamza Shehbaz in NA-118 and Maryam Nawaz in NA-119.

Nevertheless, PML-N may face an upset in Lahore’s NA-127 where its candidate Ataullah Tarar is losing to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Bilawal is also winning from Larakana’s NA-194 according to preliminary unofficial results. Similarly, former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is set to secure a comfortable win in from Shaheed Benazirabad’s NA-207 constituency.

The national assembly has 265 seats and polling in one seat was postponed due to the death of a candidate. A party needs 133 seats for a simple majority but many analysts believe the vote may not produce a clear winner.

Thousands of troops were deployed on the streets and at polling stations across the country and borders with Iran and Afghanistan were temporarily closed as security was stepped up to ensure peaceful polling.

Mobile phone services suspended for security reasons were being partially resumed, the Interior Ministry said yesterday. In 2024 elections, the mismanagement on the side of the Election Commission of Pakistan is a big question mark on the transparency of the electoral process, as at many places neither the polling started at the right time nor the staff reached timely. Despite the fact, the voters turnout seems to be enormous.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 09 2024

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