Islamabad : Feb 8 : Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek E Insaf (PTI) turned out as the most popular party in February 8 elections as its backed candidates won majority seats in Thursday’s polling . Its supported candidates swept in Khyber Pukhtunkhaw (KPK) by bagging around 90 % plus seats of the national assembly and KPK assembly.
Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) could not make any impressive show in these elections . Although its top leaders secured their seats of national assembly , but its many top leaders faced defeat. Even after getting majority seats by PTI backed seats , its not yet clear if it will manage to govern those elected candidates which won with its support. PPP emerged as a strong party . It’s candidates won in Sindh as was expected
On the polling day, Pakistan’s top politicians have cast their votes in their respective constituencies . President Dr Arif Alvi , first lady Samina Arif Alvi , cast their votes in Karachi . Pakistan People Party (PPP) supremo , Asif Ali Zardari and PPP chairman (Balawal Bhutto cast their votes in NA 207 Nawab Shah and NA 194 Naudero respectively. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) , Nawaz Sharif , PMLN chief , Shahbaz Sharif , PMLN senior leader , Maryam Nawaz , cast their votes in NA 128 in Lahore . Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) chief , Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, cast his vote in NA 10 Bonaire. Jamiat e Ulema Islam (JUI) chief , Maulana Fazalur Rehman cast his vote in DI Khan in his hometown. ANP chief , Animal Wali, cast his vote in Charsada. IPP chief , Jahangir Tareen cast his vote in NA 155 in Ladharan.
Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) supremo , Mian Nawaz Sharif , has said it’s important to address Pakistan ‘s issue and give relief to the people of Pakistan that PMLN should be given full mandate in these elections. He told media persons in Lahore after casting vote in his home constituency NA 128 Lahore that PMLN needs a good mandate to pull Pakistan out of current political and economic crisis . He suggested to the questioner not to take name of split mandate from these elections .
Mian Nawaz Sharif was accompanied by PMLN senior leader , Maryam Nawaz , Pervez Rashid and Aun Chaudhary who is a joint candidate of PMLN and Istehkam Party of Pakistan (IPP) for NA 128. Nawaz Sharif lauded Maryam Nawaz , Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Sharif for serving PMLN in hard times. Mian Nawaz Sharif criticised Imran Khan party and said the culture of bad mouthing must be brought to an end
The complaints of delay in start of the polling stations in some constituencies are pouring in. According to local media , the polling started with delay in many constituencies of the national assembly. Jamaat e Islami (JI) Amir for Karachi , Hafiz Naeem , while talking to the media showed serious concern on delays in start of the voting in Karachi. He demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take immediate corrective measures to facilitate the voters of Karachi to cast their votes. MQM Pakistan chief , Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi also spoke to the media in Karachi on Thursday . He said MQM will support and vote to form the government to a party which will ensure powers to the local governments in Pakistan . He also demands some changes in the constitution.
Beating the fears and threats of terror, the process of voting has begun at scheduled time across Pakistan. The process of voting for the national assembly of Pakistan and four provincial assemblies began at 8 AM local time and it will continue without any break till 5 PM.
With the opening of the election process despite rising terrorist attacks in the last few weeks , Pakistan has defeated terror organisations and other international forces which tried to stop it from going into these elections with the use of guns .
Coming of voters to the polling stations across Pakistan in a big number shows these elections are going to get higher turnover than all previous elections of Pakistan. Pakistan’s political parties have actively participated in the pre-poll elections process. As many as 17818 candidates are in the run for 855 seats of the national assembly and provincial assemblies.
The political pundits are attaching extraordinary significance to these elections . They believe that the outcome of these elections will bring stability to Pakistan and end up the on-going political and economic uncertainty . These elections are also going to be a real popularity test for Imran Khan ‘s Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI). Imran Khan is in jail since August last year and facing multiple sentences and his party –PTI– has not been allowed to go in these elections with its electoral symbol–cricket bat. PTI candidates have also been put to various kinds of discrimination during pre-poll elections process. They were not allowed to campaign and woo their voters like other political parties such as PMLN, PPP and others. Despite serious complaints of not getting a level playing field, PTI did not boycott these elections . Its leadership, in particular , jailed Imran Khan is hoping to get miraculous results of these elections in favour of PTI.
