Supporters and candidates of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party protested in Lahore on Friday (Feb. 9) against delays in election results. The demonstration took place outside the office of a Returning Officer in Pakistan’s eastern city.
Independents aligned with jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan emerged as leaders in the election, winning the most seats, as over half of the constituency results were announced. This development leaves other political parties behind.
The results have been unusually delayed, a situation the government attributes to the suspension of mobile phone services, with almost 24 hours passing since polls closed.
Khan, currently in prison, saw his PTI party excluded from the election, leading his supporters to run as independents.
Analysts are suggesting the possibility of no clear winner in the election, a scenario that compounds the challenges of a country already facing an economic crisis and increasing militant violence amidst a deeply polarized political climate.
