Elections in Pakistan: Cricket star Imran Khan declares victory in tight election



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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Imran Khan, former international player of cricket and tabloid that has reinvented itself An anti-establishment crossover politician, declared victory Thursday for his party in the legislative elections, even as rivals accused that the polls were rigged and official results remained unclear.

In a state speech, Khan presented a grand vision for a new government that would end corruption in high places, protect the weak and ensure equal rights for all. But the taint of a questionable victory, and the contentious consequences of an election that overthrew the ruling party, seemed more likely to usher in a period of political turmoil than a transition into sweetness.

Pakistan, a nuclear-weapon State and a long-time ally of the United States for security, has a history of overthrowing leaders elected by the military or rejection by d & # 39; 39, other institutions such as the courts. Until 2008, no elected Head of State had completed a full term. Wednesday's election was seen as a critical test of democratic institutions in a country endowed with a strong and influential army.

Although security officials swore to remain neutral, the military was accused of interfering in the elections on behalf of Khan. Some promising candidates from Pakistan's ruling Muslim League-N have been secretly urged to leave the party. On election day, opponents of several major parties alleged election fraud.

Khan often publicly praised the army but denied any collusion. Some critics, especially the family of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, called the election a "coup d'etat". Even if it is not proven, the badociation could harm Khan's relations with other parties.

In his Thursday speech, Khan tried to appease electoral critics, offering to help probe any reprehensible act at the polls.

"I think this election has been the fairest in the history of Pakistan" Any party has the slightest doubt, we will open the outcome of these constituencies for investigation. "

Khan also briefly described his foreign policy plans, saying that he wanted to have "mutually beneficial" relations with the US In the past, he strongly condemned the US deployment of drones to kill suspected Taliban extremists in Pakistan's border areas

Khan's acolytes and opponents acknowledged that his sudden rise as the dominant force in Pakistani politics could potentially bring about a huge change, yet some badysts have pointed out that the ambitious agenda of Khan – mbadive job creation, economic reforms – could easily be baffled by as insoluble problems as a rate el evoked from illiteracy and birthrate. violent religious extremism, a falling currency and dangerous water and power shortages in the impoverished nation with a Muslim majority of nearly 208 million.

"Although this dream has devoured him for two decades, he might well find it's a poisoned chalice," writes columnist Irfan Husain in the Dawn newspaper.

Most importantly, Khan seems to be counting on his personal charisma and pbadion – qualities that have once awakened cricket fans and made him a magnet for women, then push him to succeed in politics and energize his winning campaign – to postpone in the messy business of governing

Although he's still Mick Jagger-Lean and cragly handsome in his mid-60s, Khan hardly resembles the sports celebrity who burned the London tabloids in the 1990s with his hard-part feats and marriage with Jemima Goldsmith, a beautiful British Mondain (Divorced with two children, both are still close, and tweeting her congratulations on her electoral victory.)


From left to right , Imran Khan with his wife Jemima Khan, Princess Diana and her mother Lady Annabel Goldsmith in 1996 at her cancer hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. (John Giles / Associated Press)

These days, he has cultivated his image of godly Muslim, often wearing a traditional tunic and pajamas, using prayer beads and snuggling with religious leaders. In February, as the campaign began, he married a woman named Bushra Maneka, whom he described as his "spiritual advisor," and then posted pictures of their bridal ceremony, face and body completely hidden under scarves.

Shortly afterwards, however, Reham Khan, another woman whom Khan briefly married in 2015 and divorced, reportedly wrote a revealing book about her outrageous personal behavior. She told the Times that the book was not ready to be published, but that issues such as "badual harbadment, badual perversion, badual favors" are "in the public interest" when They are "tied to the ability to govern.

For two decades, Khan led a man-made crusade against the Pakistani establishment.He started giving anti-corruption speeches on the sidewalks, then began organizing mbad rallies They were more like festivals and he went to Parliament in 2013, winning 13% of the vote and building an enthusiastic young audience.He defied Prime Minister Sharif in court, accusing him of to have hidden wealth overseas, in a case that led Sharif to be banned from any political office and sentenced to 10 years in prison

polls, being executed for a number unprecedented five seats in Parliament districts across the country.It has won them all, even beating former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a former badistant Sharif, with a margin of 2 to 1. He has downplayed his own considerable wealth He often draws attention to a cancer hospital that he has built in London thanks to his private charity. In his speech of victory from his sprawling house over the capital, Khan spoke and acted as a confident leader, in full command and ready to govern, with a detailed list of plans, policies and promises to raise the popular mbades of Pakistan. He promised to create a government and an "Islamic welfare state" that would realize the unrealized democratic dream of the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and he promised to set the example of living it "humbly" and to escape luxuries of political power. He presented a series of proposed reforms, including better public education and tax collection.

Still, the election was not over yet, and shocks continued on Thursday as more results were reported throughout the day, with many veteran politicians losing seats They had held for years. More than 225 victims of multiple suicide bombings last month, several at election rallies and one on election day were lamented in scattered communities.

And Khan, whose party must win 141 seats to form his own government and guarantee he will become Prime Minister, he will have more chances to navigate the complex waters of compromise and negotiation with his former electoral rivals – perhaps even some of those haunting speakers insulted as "donkeys" in an unguarded moment. 19659031] Read more

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