Pakistan Elections 2024: Imran Khan’s PTI-supported independent candidates were neck-and-neck with Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab– Pakistan’s most populous province.

Pakistan Elections: Independent candidates backed by jailed ex-premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are posing are a tough challenge to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N in the key Punjab province, as per initial trends of the Pakistan general elections marred by terror attacks and violence which left at least twelve people, including 10 security personnel dead.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had deprived jailed 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician’s party of the electoral symbol of ‘bat’ over its failure to hold intra-party polls according to its Constitution, forcing it to field independent candidates.

Here are latest elections trends as reported by local news channels:

According to initial trends reported by private news channels based on partial counting, Imran Khan’s PTI-supported independent candidates were neck-and-neck with Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab– Pakistan’s most populous province which sends almost half of the representatives to the National Assembly.

In most of the constituencies in the Punjab province, the candidates of the two parties were either leading or in second place.

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, the 74-year-old three-time former premier who is eying the premiership for a record fourth term, was trailing behind PTI-backed independent candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid in Lahore’s NA-130.

Similarly, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was trailing in Lahore’s NA-127. However, Sharif’s younger brother Shehbaz was ahead of his rivals in Lahore’s NA-123.

PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter Meher Bano Qureshi, running as an independent candidate, was ahead of her rivals in NA-151 (Multan).

The PTI has claimed that election results across the country are being delayed after Khan’s candidate emerged victorious.

“There are reports of closure of the screens in the offices of returning officers in several circles,” PTI’s Omary Ayub alleged in a video message posted on X.

In Sindh, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidates were leading in most of the constituencies, with its leaders Bilawal and Asif Ali Zardari ahead in their constituencies. But the situation in Karachi, the capital of Sindh with 22 National Assembly seats, was different and Muttahida Qaumi Movement and PTI candidates were performing better.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, independent candidates supported by the PTI were leading on most national and provincial assembly seats. Former PTI minister Ali Muhammad Khan was leading in the Mardan area, while former PTI speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaisar, was leading in Swabi. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl of Maulana Fazlur Rehman was also doing well in some districts.

Balochistan, which is the largest province but sends only 15 lawmakers to the parliament, showed mixed results and none of the party was in the clear lead.

It to be noted that the results reported so far by the news channels are merely indicated as well as unofficial and may change drastically as the counting progresses. The official results of a constituency is announced by the relevant returning officer after tabulating complete results of all polling stations in that constituency.

Polling of the Pakistan general elections started at 8.00 AM and continued without any break till 5.00 PM. A countrywide public holiday was declared to enable more than 12 crore voters to cast their ballots. The polling percentage is not yet known. In the 2018 elections, overall voter turnout across the nation was 51.7 per cent.

Counting of votes began following the conclusion of the polling and the results of individual polling stations started to pour in after the mandatory one hour restriction ended. But it may take a couple of hours before the complete result of any constituency is available.

In total 266 National Assembly seats were up for grabs out of 336, but polling was postponed on at least one seat after a candidate was killed in a gun attack in Bajaur. Another 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 for minorities, and are allotted to the winning parties based on proportional representation.

A party must win 133 seats out of 265 being contested to form the next government.

 5,121 candidates in fray: ECP

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it has resolved 76 poll-related complaints, which were received throughout the day.

According to the ECP spokesperson Haroon Shinwari, most of the complaints were of a “normal nature” involving confrontations between political workers in different areas which were resolved on the spot.

According to the ECP, a total of 5,121 candidates are in the race for the National Assembly (NA) seats. These include 4,807 male, 312 female and two transgenders. For the four provincial assemblies, 12,695 candidates are in the field including 12,123 males, 570 women and two transgenders

Cellular, Internet services suspended

Soon after the voting started, mobile services in Pakistan were suspended due to the “deteriorating security situation”, a day after twin terror attacks killed at least 30 people in Balochistan province.

Despite the suspension of cellular and internet services, a large number of people across Pakistan exercised their right to vote to elect lawmakers for national and provincial assemblies – on 855 constituencies.

Amnesty International criticised the decision to suspend mobile phone and internet service on the day of election, calling it “a blunt attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly”.

In the evening, the Interior Ministry said mobile phone services have been partially restored in parts of the country.

Jailed leaders use postal ballot in ‘free and fair’ elections

Imran Khan and other prominent incarcerated political figures have cast their votes through a postal ballot from Adiala Jail.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has congratulated the nation on what he called “successful conduct” of “free and fair” elections.

Kakar said the high voter turnout is a clear indication of public commitment to shaping the future of the country. “The voices, expressed through the votes, will contribute to the fortification of our democracy, and for that, people of Pakistan deserve every bit of appreciation,” he added.

The border crossing with Afghanistan and Iran were closed both for cargo and pedestrians on Thursday due to security reasons.

Pakistan’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja earlier said that elections will be held in a peaceful atmosphere.

Imran Khan’s PTI choked

Imran Khan’s PTI after falling out with the powerful establishment complained of pressure and lack of space to carry out its campaign. The party has been subjected to a nationwide state clampdown, with hundreds of workers and candidates arrested and released only after quitting the party or withdrawing from the election.

Pakistan’s history since 1947 has been riddled with the Army sidelining elected governments.

Khan is jailed on corruption charges and is barred from standing. He is serving at least 14 years in prison, having been sentenced in three separate cases in the space of five days last week. He still faces over 140 charges in different cases.

Whoever wins the polls will find a daunting task ahead due to the dwindling economy and deteriorating security situation.

Last year, the country narrowly averted a default when the International Monetary Fund provided a USD 3 billion short-term loan.

12 dead in terror attacks

Meanwhile, at least 12 people, including 10 security personnel, were killed on election day, mostly in restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, as the government forces repulsed 51 terrorist attacks aimed at disrupting the polling for general elections in the country.

Five terrorists were also killed during various operations, according to a statement by the army.

Militants tried to derail the process with the attack mostly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan but the forces foiled their attempts, though at a price, it said.

“Despite 51 cowardly terrorist attacks, mostly in KP and Balochistan, aimed at disrupting the electoral process, the soldiers remained resolute and effectively ensured peace and security across Pakistan. Twelve people (including 10 personnel of security forces and law enforcement agencies) died and 39 others have been injured in these attacks,” the army statement said.

In one of the incidents, unidentified gunmen set off a bomb and then opened fire at a vehicle of security personnel deployed for election security in the restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan. Four police officials were killed in the attack, they said.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the attack but the area is a former stronghold of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group carried out multiple attacks targeting security forces in recent years.

In a separate incident, two Levies and police personnel were killed while seven security personnel were injured in Balochistan’s Kharan when their vehicle hit a landmine en route to a polling station.

These attacks happened a day after at least 30 people were killed in twin terror attacks in the Balochistan province.

Meanwhile, after claiming that it thwarted more than 50 attacks, the Army added that the armed forces alongside other Law Enforcement Agencies were proud to have played a pivotal role in providing security during the conduct of the sacred electoral process, in aid of civil power, and in accordance with the constitution of Pakistan.

(With PTI inputs)