Pakistan election: What happens after Imran Khan vote surprise? - BBC News

Days after the vote, Pakistanis still don't know who will form their next government.

1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPABy Nicholas Yong and BBC Urduin Singapore and IslamabadPakistanis still do not know which party will form their next government or who their next prime minister will be four days after the hotly-contested general elections.

Despite former PM Imran Khan's detention and the many hurdles thrown at his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), independent candidates backed by the party stunned observers by winning 93 National Assembly seats, the most by any party. However it is far short of the 169-seat simple majority required to form a government.

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) of another former PM, Nawaz Sharif, came in second with 75 seats. He was seen to have the backing of the country's powerful military and had been expected to coast to victory, five years after he left Pakistan in disgrace.

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP), led by political blue blood Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, came in third with 54 seats.

The constitution dictates that political parties must form a government by 29 February, or three weeks after election day. The National Assembly has a total of 336 seats, of which 266 are decided by direct voting and 70 are reserved - 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims - and these are allocated according to the strength of each party in the assembly.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68271462?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

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