Imran Khan made an unexpected move. Nawaz Sharif declared the outcome. The “unified government” is what the army aspires to. The world has been engrossed in the chaos that is the Pakistani election because, even after two days of counting, no obvious winner has emerged.
With the counting of about a dozen seats still ongoing, the results thus far indicate a hung verdict—the second in a row in a Pakistani election.
Unexpectedly, imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan defeated all odds and forecasts to gain the public’s support. Since the candidates supported by his party, the PTI, have secured the majority of seats in the National Assembly, Imran has had to declare triumph from behind bars.
However, Nawaz Sharif, who was tipped to win handily, has also declared his victory and is attempting to form a coalition government with the support of PPP(P) and other Independents. His PML(N), bolstered by Imran, has secured the greatest number of seats of any party in the House with 71.
Perplexed by the outcome? The 2024 Pakistani election victors and losers are listed below:
Winners
Army: Regardless of who is elected, the “establishment” consistently prevails. No matter who is running, that is the unspoken law in Pakistan. With the support of the army, Imran Khan’s PTI became the single largest party in 2018, and he went on to create the government of the nation. If he can gather enough support, Nawaz Sharif, who is supported by the army, is probably going to create the next one in 2024. General Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan’s army, nudged Sharif on Saturday by saying that the political establishment should “rise above self-interests” and work together to rule and serve the people by calling for a “unified” administration. The army will emerge victorious in the event that a Nawaz Sharif government is formed.
Imran Khan: Despite being without a bat, the PTI leader was able to perform brilliantly, and the results indicate that a significant portion of Pakistanis continue to back the former captain of Pakistan who won the World Cup but is currently incarcerated. In the general election, more than ninety of Imran’s allies running as Independents have become victorious. The unexpected outcome led the former prime minister to declare victory using a social media video created by artificial intelligence. His party is attempting to establish a government as well. But regardless of whether it succeeds in doing so, Imran, who was facing certain defeat prior to the elections, will undoubtedly find solace in the outcome.
Numerous close aides were arrested, he was involved in a long list of legal issues, he was prohibited from running for office, and his party’s “bat” symbol was outlawed. In spite of this, the public was unmistakably on his side, keeping Nawaz Sharif from winning decisively.
Nawaz Sharif: The leader of the PML(N) was a convicted felon who faced a 10-year prison sentence in the 2018 general election. He is considering another attempt at leadership six years later. The past six years have undoubtedly seen a turnabout in the career of Pakistan’s three-time former prime minister, primarily as a result of Imran’s removal from power and the military’s endorsement of him. Despite accusations of rigging, he easily won his seat in Lahore and now faces a difficult task of persuading Independents and other parties to work with him. Even if it might not have been a clear victory, the very fact that Nawaz is about to make a comeback demonstrates how quickly the fortunes of Pakistani prime ministers can shift, for better or worse.
Losers
Voters: In a nation beset by economic crises, political unpredictability and “stage-managed” elections ultimately come at a high cost to the electorate. There were many allegations of electoral manipulation and violence during the February 8 elections. The average man in Pakistan ultimately comes out short due to the dubious democratic process, protracted post-election uncertainty, and indirect army intervention in the political process.
Democracy: How can it succeed if the electorate suffers? The army leader has always been accused of acting as the “chief selector” in “match-fixing” charges involving Pakistani elections. The one we had now was no exception. Concerning doubts about Pakistan’s risky democratic experiments are raised by the military’s obtrusive meddling throughout the process, extensive allegations of rigging, and institutional targeting of leaders who don’t have the support of the current army chief. That some observers refer to Pakistani elections as the “mother of all selections” is not surprising.
Army: While it is true that the army will ultimately have a say in the elections, the fact that Imran, the army’s despised “laadla,” was able to publicly undermine the establishment’s confidence raises doubts about the extent of its power. A lot of poll pundits believed that Nawaz Sharif was almost certain to return. However, the electorate demonstrated that the army’s control over the nation is eroding by choosing candidates endorsed by Imran.
