Pakistan election in disarray as incumbent rejects result
Source: The Guardian
Pakistans general election has been plunged into chaos after the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) said it would reject the result amid widespread allegations that the military was rigging the ballot in favour of the party led by the former cricketer Imran Khan.
With only a third of the vote counted by 3am an hour after the result was officially due Khans Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led in 110 seats, with the PMLN trailing on 68.
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Most projections held that the PTI would go on to win between 107 and 120 seats out of a total 272 in the lower-house, exceeding expectations and delivering the role of prime minister to Khan for the first time.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), an independent body, blamed the delay in announcing the result on a breakdown in the Results Transmission Software it purchased from a British company.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/26/pakistan-election-in-disarray-as-incumbent-rejects-result
Harker
(13,874 posts)flickering over Trumpsky's head.
ck4829
(34,974 posts)and someone who says there should be a public apology for what the Pakistani military did to East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh).
Looks like the US isn't the only country where the "center-right" frames the issues around itself.
Imran Khan isn't just the Muslim leader this world needs more of, he's just the leader period this world needs more of.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,149 posts)eg "Imran Khan has shown he can win the backing of Pakistan's military - now he needs to prove he is his own man" (the centre-right UK Telegraph), or the centre-left Guardian - "Rights activists claim military is trying to swing Wednesdays vote in favour of Imran Khan".
From the latter:
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Many analysts fear the attempts to rig the election could lead to a hung parliament or a weak governing coalition. Thats exactly the type of administration the military would want, because a fragile and divided government would be easier to exploit than a united one with a strong mandate, Kugelman said.
Parties and rights groups are also concerned by the election commissions decision to deploy 371,000 troops, three times more than 2013, at polling stations, and grant them broad judicial powers, including to hold on-the-spot trials and sentence anyone breaking election laws.
Expanded powers for an army that has topped several governments in the past could have long-term implications for Pakistans fledgling democracy. The damage is already done, said Kugelman. The last few months have amplified the deep imbalance in civil-military relations and the soaring challenges Pakistan faces in trying to strengthen civilian institutions and leaders. It will be a tall order, to say the least.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,149 posts)Election officials said an official count confirming Pakistans next government was expected later in the evening.
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Complaints have also emerged from the independent Human Rights Commission, which issued a statement saying that in some places women were not allowed to vote.
In other areas, it said, polling staff appeared to be biased toward a certain party, without naming the party. In the days before Wednesdays election, leading rights activist IA Rehman called the campaign the dirtiest in his countrys troubled journey toward sustained democracy.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/26/imran-khan-claims-victory-in-pakistan-elections
muriel_volestrangler
(101,149 posts)...
On Friday, a senior leader of Mr Sharif's PML-N party said the outcome of the parliamentary vote would be accepted for the sake of democracy.
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On Friday, a European Union monitoring team said the election campaign featured a "lack of equality".
"Although there were several legal provisions aimed at ensuring a level playing field, we have concluded that there was a lack of equality and opportunity," chief observer Michael Gahler told reporters.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44980344
muriel_volestrangler
(101,149 posts)...
After joint talks in Islamabad, one party leader said they would launch protests to demand fresh elections.
The rival parties include that of ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, which had earlier said it was ready to go into opposition.
PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif, brother of Nawaz Sharif who is in jail on corruption charges, said the party had yet to decide whether or not to boycott parliament.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44983716