6 out of 8: Imran Khan wins majority of seats in Pakistan’s byelections
Imran Khan will have to resign from all but one of the seats ..
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's previous top state leader Imran Khan won the
larger part of seats in byelections on Sunday, gathering speed in his
mission to pressure the half year old government into calling an
early public vote.
Khan challenged seven of the eight seats and has won six, as indicated by
Political race Commission of Pakistan information with every one of the votes counted. The
Pakistan People groups Party, an individual from the decision alliance, took the
other two seats.
While the ex-pioneer should leave everything except one of the seats he
won - - and races should reoccur - - the triumph proposes
citizens in the country of in excess of 220 million individuals support his
political story. The previous cricket star, who was removed from power
through a no-certainty vote in April, has been holding rallies across
Pakistan that are attracting large crowds to seek early elections,
“| ask the government and the establishment to respect the will of the
masses and immediately announce fresh elections in the country,”
Fawad Chaudhry, a senior leader of Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-
Insaf, said in a tweet. “We are ready to discuss the election framework
with the government’.
The political drama comes as Shehbaz Sharif’s government grapples
with economic distress. Moody's downgraded the nation’s credit rating
and Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves have dipped to the lowest
levels in three years. Devastating floods earlier this year have also
added to the crisis.
The vote is taking place after all 131 lawmakers from Khan's party
resigned from parliament's lower house in April following the change
in government. Elections for those seats are being held in phases.
While a sweeping win will embolden Khan and his supporters, his
current spate of legal woes may put a brake on his political ambitions.
The Election Commission has said Khan's party received illegal foreign
funds from the US, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. The PTI
party has denied the charge and is appealing the order.
Any decision on what punishment the party faces if it loses its appeal
rests with the Supreme Court. It could face a ban on contesting
elections.Pakistan's top investigative agency has also filed a complaint against
Khan for receiving funds illegally in his party's accounts from the now-
defunct Dubai-based Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi, the Dawn
newspaper has reported. Khan has had to get preemptive bail in two of
the cases.
Acriminal conviction could see Khan being barred from running for
office for five years, according to Pakistani law.
