Pakistan releases official election results, independents affiliated with Khan’s PTI secure most seats

CNN:  Pakistan’s official election results were announced by the election commission on Sunday, with independent candidates affiliated with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party securing the most seats in parliament.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, independent candidates won 102 seats. The majority of the independents are affiliated with Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party (PMLN), headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, came in second with 73 seats, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won 54 seats.

None of the three major parties of the country will win the necessary 169 seats to have a majority in parliament and, therefore, will be unable to form government on their own, leaving it unclear who will be picked as the country’s next prime minister.

The results were announced more than three days after the polls closed in Thursday’s highly contentious election which was marred by violence and subject to allegations of poll rigging.

The PTI party has called on party workers and supporters to hold protests on Sunday outside polling offices in constituencies where party members say election results were “withheld and delayed.”

The capital Islamabad has imposed Section 144, allowing police to take legal action against any illegal assemblies and activities.