Elections Results
The provisional results from Pakistan’s top electoral authority reveal a significant number of independent candidates securing national and provincial assembly seats. Contrary to public perception, not all independents are affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), founded by Imran Khan.
The perception of widespread PTI backing for independent candidates arose when the party decided to field such candidates after the Supreme Court stripped PTI of its iconic bat symbol. Before the elections, PTI released lists of independent candidates it supported, adjusting the lists as decisions evolved in the lead-up to the polls.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) list, around 100 independent victories have been elected to National Assembly seats. A comparison between the Election Commission of Pakistan results and PTI’s lists indicates that 92 out of the total independent winners are backed by PTI, leaving eight candidates unaffiliated with Khan’s party. Notable among the genuinely independent candidates are Raja Khurram Shehzad and Aqeel Malik from NA-48 and NA-54, respectively, in the twin cities.
Reports suggest that Shehzad has connections to Jahangir Tareen’s Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party, while Malik, who defeated Chaudhry Nisar and Ghulam Sarwar combined in NA-48, was reportedly denied a PML-N ticket. In both constituencies, the IPP and PML-N did not field candidates, providing favorable odds for Shehzad and Malik.
The remaining six independent candidates not linked to PTI include Rashid Akbar Khan (NA-92), Amir Ali Lali (NA-93), Raza Hayat Hiraj (NA-144), Pir Zahoor Hussain (NA-146), Ayesha Nazeer Jutt (NA-156), and Shamsher Ali Mazari (NA-189).
Interestingly, the PPP has also engaged with independent candidates, confirmed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who expressed optimism about encouraging initial results for PPP-supported or engaged independents.
Results are incredibly slow coming in. However, initial results are very encouraging ! PPP candidates and independents whom we have supported/ engaged with seem to be doing well! Let’s see what the final tally is in the end… ✌️
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) February 8, 2024
As the election results unfold, the diverse affiliations of independent candidates underscore the complexity of political dynamics in Pakistan, challenging preconceptions about their alignment with specific parties.
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