Imran Khan’s party says its mandate has been stolen in dark of night
As major political parties in Pakistan backed the formation of a coalition government led by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party on Wednesday alleged that its mandate has been “stolen in the dark of the night”.
In a surprise move, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday night nominated Shehbaz, 72, as the prime ministerial candidate instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif.
Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said that Imran’s “mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night”.
In a post on X, Hasan said, “Pakistan is being put on [the] road to further destabilisation.”
Referring to a possible coalition government led by the PML-N, he said, “The decision to induct a bunch of criminals to form governments, who have been rejected by the people, reflects a myopic view of the grave challenges the country is beset with.”
Independent candidates backed by Khan’s PTI sprang a surprise by winning the most seats in Parliament in the February 8 general elections. They have won 92 seats in the 266-member National Assembly.
To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly.
While Khan, the 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician is in jail after being convicted in corruption cases, the PTI-backed candidates ran as independents due to the party losing the election symbol of bat’ following controversy surrounding its organisational elections.
The PTI spokesperson said the current situation was “striking at the very essence of democratic principles and norms”, as well as reflected a “disdain for the national interests and the welfare of its people”.
“Forces of dark must be stopped and power must pass on to those whom the people have chosen as their leaders,” Hasan added.
He said PTI founder Khan is the only hope that could steer the country out of crises.
“Only @ImranKhanPTI has the vision and ability to bring Pakistan out of a deepening quagmire.
He is the one people have reposed their overwhelming faith & trust in, but his mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night,” he said.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that independent candidates, a majority of them supported by the PTI secured 101 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 75 seats, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) getting 54 seats, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) bagging 17 seats.
Other parties got 17 seats while the result of one constituency was withheld.
The formation of a new government would take some time.
According to the sources, the newly elected members of the assemblies should submit their election expense details by February 18, which will be followed by the
Election Commission of Pakistan issuing a notification of the elected members by February 22.
Within the next three days, all the independent candidates should join a political party followed by the allocation of 60 women reserved seats and 10 minority reserved seats to the political parties.
