Islamabad: Pakistan, which is struggling to recover from an economic crisis, was dealt another blow when the elections threw up a hung verdict. The country now faces days of political horse-trading as parties try to cobble together leaders to prove majority.
Imran Khan, who is in jail and barred from contesting elections, managed to grab the headlines as independent candidates who support his party Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) won 101 seats in the Pakistan general polls.
But the party still fell 32 seats short of the majority mark needed to form the government.
The final results were announced nearly 60 hours after the polls closed on Thursday evening. Pakistan election commission attributed the delay to internet issues, due to which polling stations are facing difficulties transmitting the results.
Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N), which was backed by the Army and the favourite to win the polls, could manage just 73 seats in the 266-seat assembly. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won 54.
