Cricket Star Imran Khan Wins Pakistan Election But Needs Coalition

Official results show cricket star Imran Khan won in Pakistan’s polls but he will have to seek out allies to form a coalition government,  Associated Press reported.

After a tediously slow count, Pakistan election officials Friday announced Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won 109 of the 269 seats being contested in the National Assembly.

The election Wednesday gave his nearest rival, Shahbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League 63 seats. Sharif who heads the party of jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif has rejected the results charging widespread fraud and manipulation.

Khan declared his victory on Thursday and dismissed the allegations of fraud calling it the most transparent election in Pakistan’s history.

Third place went to the left of center Pakistan People’s party with 39 seats. Results from 20 seats were still being counted.

On Thursday, in his first speech after declaring victory, Khan talked about Pakistan’s relations with its neighbors including Afghanistan and India. He said Afghanistan has suffered tremendously due to war and violence over the past few decades and that Pakistan is ready to cooperate in ensuring peace in the war-weary country.  
 
“We want to work in every possible way to ensure peace in Afghanistan. I would love an open border system like the EU with Afghanistan. Afghanistan is that neighbour of ours that has seen the most human misery and damage in the name of wars. The people of Afghanistan need peace, and Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan,” he said as cited by Geo News.