News Analysis |
The chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has submitted his nomination papers for the post of Pakistan’s Prime Minister. Awami Muslim League (AML) chief, Sheikh Rashid, submitted the nomination papers of PTI’s chief on his behalf. Mr. Rashid, while speaking to the media in Islamabad, said that he was Khan’s nominator for the post while Fakhar Imam was the guarantor. “We submitted the papers for Imran Khan’s nomination,” he confirmed.
The PTI Chairman made history by emerging victorious on five National Assembly seats; the results of the General Election 2018 were revealed on the eve of 25th July. In the General Elections, where on one hand, big names such as Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, Siraj ul Haq, Pir Sadarruddin Shah, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Mustafa Kamal, Asfandyar Wali Khan and others faced defeat, on the other hand, Imran managed to bag every single seat he contested on.
Imran Khan assured the PML-N and other parties that his government will assist them to investigate any polling station they want to. He clarified that this election was the “fairest” in the history of Pakistan.
According to the official results from NA-53 Islamabad, Imran defeated former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The PTI chief received 92,891 votes while the PML-N leader managed to get 44,314 votes. From NA-35 Bannu, MMA candidate Akram Durrani came second with 22,514 votes, while Imran won with 24,317 votes. From NA-243 Karachi, Imran defeated his opponent from MQM-P Ali Raza Abidi with a heavy margin, where the former got 91,358 votes, while the latter only managed to receive 24,082 votes.
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From his home constituency in Mianwali, NA-95, Imran defeated PML-N candidate Obaidullah Shadikhel. The PTI candidate won with 162,499 votes, while his opponent bagged merely 49,505 votes. Mr. Khan is expected to take the oath of his post on August 18th. Guests have been invited by the PTI to attend the oath-taking ceremony of its chairman to be sworn as Prime Minister.
The idea of Naya Pakistan: PM-elect addressed the Nation
The Chairman PTI and Prime Minister-in-waiting Imran Khan addressed the nation on August 26th. Khan thanked the people of Pakistan for trusting in his leadership and also outlined his agenda which he intends to achieve while staying in the office. “Thanks to God, we won,” he begun with. “We were successful, and we were given a mandate,” the 65-year-old cricketer-turned-politician said during a live broadcast, adding that there was “no political victimization” in the acrimonious contest.
Interestingly, the opposition parties in the country have formed an alliance to counter the government led by Imran Khan. PML-N, PPP, ANP, MMA and other parties like PSP have come forward to allege that the elections were rigged, and the incoming government won’t have the mandate to run the affairs.
Khan praised the people of Balochistan, who came out to cast their votes despite all fears and threats. At the same time, the PM-in-waiting said that he will work to uplift the lives of the disempowered and marginalized people across the country. “We will build up Pakistan while keeping into our mind the framework of the state of Madina. I want to share the kind of Pakistan I envision the type of state that was established in Madina, where widows and the poor were taken care of,” he explained. “Today our state is in shambles. [But] all our policies aim to help the less fortunate prosper,” he said.
Imran Khan assured the PML-N and other parties that his government will assist them to investigate any polling station they want to. He clarified that this election was the “fairest” in the history of Pakistan. “If you think there has been rigging, we will assist you in the investigation if you have any doubts. We will stand by you. I feel that this election has been the fairest in Pakistan’s history. If any party has any doubts, we will open up the results of those constituencies for investigation.”
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He also commented on improving ties with India, resolving Kashmir and relationship with the US on the basis of equality. While commenting on Afghanistan, Khan said that “they [Afghans] have suffered most in the ‘war on terror’, and before that in the Afghan jihad. Peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan,”.
He also added that he envisions open borders with Afghanistan, reminiscent to those within the European Union. Interestingly, the opposition parties in the country have formed an alliance to counter the government led by Imran Khan. PML-N, PPP, ANP, MMA and other parties like PSP have come forward to allege that the elections were rigged, and the incoming government won’t have the mandate to run the affairs.
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Imran Khan, however, has made it clear that his government will facilitate the opposition to investigate the rigging allegations at all levels. Prime Minister Imran Khan will face an organized opposition by the forces of the status quo and it will be a test for his government to defeat all those forces to implement its idea of Naya Pakistan.