Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Islamabad: The people of Pakistan on Thursday came out in 'unprecedented numbers' to vehemently reject the system of oppression, lawlessness and fraud, Imran Khan's party said, emphasising that this is a huge victory for the jailed former prime minister, his party and the nation.
Counting of votes began following the conclusion of the polling in an election marred by a crackdown on Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, sporadic violence and connectivity issues after the government suspended mobile and internet services to foil terror attacks.
Khan's party said that today’s voter turnout in “unprecedented numbers” is a victory for the nation.
“Even though the illegitimate, fascist regime tried every low tactic to scare & dissuade people from voting, the people of Pakistan came out today in unprecedented numbers to vehemently reject the system of oppression, lawlessness & fraud!” PTI said in a post on X.
'This is a huge victory for Imran Khan, PTI & the Pakistani nation!' the post read.
In total 266 National Assembly seats were up for grabs out of 336, but polling was postponed on at least one seat after a candidate was killed in a gun attack in Bajaur. Another 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 for minorities and are allotted to the winning parties based on proportional representation.
A party must win 133 seats out of 265 being contested to form the next government.
Khan is jailed on corruption charges and is barred from standing. He is serving at least 14 years in prison, having been sentenced in three separate cases in the space of five days last week. He still faces over 140 charges in different cases.
As the government has shut down mobile and internet services in the country the voters are facing problems in casting their votes.
However, high turnout is expected in most constituencies in the Punjab province.