Pakistan is facing a deadlock with key political parties mulling options to form a new government in the crisis-hit country. Neither Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N) nor Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won a clear majority in the 336-member National Assembly.
Here are top 10 updates on Pakistan general election results,
1) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PPP President Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday. The two parties have agreed "in principle to save the country from political instability."
2) The PML-N, which is all set to form the coalition government in Pakistan along with the PPP, on Sunday managed to secure the support of the first independent candidate backed by Imran Khan's party to increase its strength in Parliament.
3) Wasim Qadir, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate who defeated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's stalwart Sheikh Rohail Asghar from Lahore’s National Assembly-121 constituency, joined the PML-N after a meeting with Maryam Nawaz, daughter of the party supremo Nawaz Sharif, at her residence.
4) A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which grabbed 17 national assembly seats, called on the Sharif brothers -- Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif -- in their Jati Umra Raiwind residence and agreed in principle to work together in forming the government.
5) According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) till Sunday, of the total 265 National Assembly seats, PTI-backed Independents bagged 93 seats, followed by PML-N at 73, PPP 54, MQM 17 and others at 19.
6) The general elections, held on February 8, marked a significant chapter in Pakistan's political history. Despite the suspension of mobile phone and internet services, citizens across the country exercised their right to vote on 855 constituencies.
7) The elections set new records, including a budget allocation of PKR billion, a notable increase in voter participation exceeding 50 per cent of the total population, a higher ratio of independent candidates totalling nearly 18,000, and an extensive amount of paper required for printing 260 million ballots.
8) Despite expectations that election results would be finalised shortly after midnight, unofficial results remained incomplete even two days after the ballot, sparking controversy.
9) Amid the uncertainty surrounding the poll results, attention is now focused on PTI-affiliated candidates awaiting the party's decision on their future course of action.
10) Currently, PTI-backed candidates lead with the most seats, followed by PML-N (78), PPP (54), and MQM-P (17). The unfolding political developments promise to shape the trajectory of governance in the coming term.
(With inputs from agencies)
