Imran's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidates have won the most seats in the preliminary results announced by the Election Commission.
The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has the second-highest number of seats. Pakistan People’s Party of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari comes in third.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the results of 250 out of 265 constituencies have been declared. Out of this, independent candidates have won the most, 99 seats, followed by the PML-N with 71 seats, PPP with 53 and MQM-P with 17 seats. Apart from this, other parties got 10 seats.
The total number of seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan is 336. Of them, 266 are elected through direct vote. The remaining 70 seats are reserved. Of these seats, 60 are for women and 10 for minorities.
134 seats are required for a party to form the government.
Imran Khan overturned every prediction made by political analysts.
However, despite its electoral success, the PTI is still not in an advantageous position. Its candidates participated in the election as independent candidates and with their individual symbols since it was denied its cricket bat symbol.
Their top leader Imran Khan is in jail in one case after another. This implies that even if the party's candidates garner the most seats, the government might still not be formed.
There will be no quota allotted for PTI in the seats reserved for minorities.
The PTI's political situation has become even more complex with Imran Khan's recent imprisonment. Imran Khan will be out of politics until 2034 as a result of a ten-year ban on entering public office. Due to his unavailability, the PTI is in disarray, with important friends either in jail or avoiding arrest, weakening the party's structure.
More independent candidates were elected during the period of General Ziaul Haque's military regime in 1985. At the time the entire parliament comprised independents.
In 1985 there were no party-based elections. No party was allowed to participate in the elections. Everyone participated in the election as individuals. Although from behind they were all supportive of one or the other political party, on paper their identities were distinct.
After the elected candidates went to parliament, they united and named their party Pakistan Muslim League, from which the present PML-N and PML-Q emerged.
After being elected, the candidates will have three days to decide whether they will support a party individually or join a party unitedly.
If PTI-backed independents want to form a majority in Parliament, they will have to join an existing political party. In this case, they can join Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) which is a registered party. Earlier, these two parties had formed an alliance in the local government elections. If PTI-backed independents join the party, they will also get reserved seats and their numbers will increase. Then they can choose the leader of parliament.
Alternatively, they may seek coalition arrangements with other political parties.
The prospective government could pursue legal avenues to reverse Imran Khan's jail sentences and the ban on his holding public office.
Despite winning the election, Imran Khan seems to have no chance of becoming Pakistan's next prime minister.