Former cricket star Imran Khan claims victory in contested elections in Pakistan

The success demanded by Mr. Khan and his Tehreek-e-Insaf Party, or PTI, would be a triumph for an individual who has cultivated a fervent base of believers in his mantra that he can make a "new Pakistan" After decades of maladministration by the bipartite system of the nation. But his victory also implied political compromises that critics inside and outside his party could undermine his ambitious agenda. "I will prove that we can fix our system of governance," Khan said in his victory speech. "All of our policies will aim to help the weakest members of our society."

The two established political parties – former Prime Minister

Nawaz Sharif

The Muslim League of Pakistan and the Pakistan People's Party, as well as a number of smaller parties, have denounced electoral rigging. They said that the votes were held in secret, with their representatives blocked – in some cases by soldiers stationed at polling stations.

The magnitude of his claimed victory far exceeded the predictions of the experts. The official electoral commission said the poll was "100% fair and transparent" and that problems with its computer system delayed the results. Mr Khan said that he would cooperate with any investigation into allegations of rigging, but described it as the purest election in Pakistan.

Khan's party, if he is finally a winner, may have to accept independent candidates or other minority parties as coalition partners to control the country's parliament before Mr. Khan can be appointed prime minister.

who was a harsh critic of the United States, called for a new "mutually beneficial" relationship that breaks with the anti-terrorism partnership seen since 2001.

"Unfortunately, until now, our relationship has been unidirectional. America pays Pakistan for having waged its war, which really damaged Pakistan, "said Mr. Khan.

Mr. Khan stated that US soldiers must leave Afghanistan as it is not necessary to There is no military solution there, there are signs that Washington is moving towards direct peace talks with the Taliban, and it will find Mr. Khan's government useful for the release of the Taliban. Afghanistan, says the party.However, if the Trump administration continues with the policy, announced last year, of a strengthened military presence in Afghanistan, it could consider Mr Khan as a stubborn thorn

Washington considers Islamabad's help essential to stabilize Afghanistan, and the US military supply lines also pass through Pakistan. he is a relentless opponent of US drone strikes inside Pakistan [19659011] Mr. Khan also stated that Pakistan was "ready for talks" with India, Pakistan's long-time main opponent in a nuclear-weapon stalemate

"they are taking a step towards us we will take two steps towards them, "he said. 19659010] A nationalist, Mr. Khan has lashed out in recent weeks in his campaign speeches to what he calls "the international establishment," a vague group of countries, international institutions and media outlets. who, according to him, are working together to undermine Pakistan, its army, its political party and even the national religion, Islam.

Khan entered politics 22 years ago, after a glamorous cricket career that led Pakistan to victory in the World Cup, but for the most part of his time, his hero status did not go unnoticed. is not translated by votes for his party. the winnings were based on nominating candidates in constituencies that are the very traditional politicians against whom he objected for standing in the way of change. He will also face numerous allegations that the powerful military backed him in the weeks leading up to the vote, with the aim of defeating the re-election of Sharif's party, which clashed with the army. while in office and was imprisoned for corruption this month

. Khan's party has repeatedly denied having received help from the army, and the army has repeatedly denied that it has provided any.

million. Khan's address is especially for younger and more educated voters, in a country where 64% of the population is under 29 years old.

He promised to rebuild the collapse of health, education and other public services in Pakistan. Welfare state, "ending corruption and getting people to pay taxes." These are deeply rooted problems that have prevented the country from realizing the kind of economic development seen elsewhere in Asia in recent decades.

Khan is also facing a serious economic situation, which he acknowledged.Partial reserves in Pakistan are at an anemic level and the debt is swelling.Many experts believe that it will be necessary to curb the economy for stop the import of as many imports, which could jeopardize its promise to create 10 million new jobs.

After doing well in 2013, but far from victory, the party from Khan decided that his white collar basic support was just not big enough to get him to power.Thus, this election turned to the traditional politicians, locally called "elected" , who br use patronage to cultivate personal support bases in constituencies. This allowed the party to reach new voters, even though it brought in politicians little known for their zeal for change.

Critics say that these traditional politicians could be obstacles in the kind of political revisions planned by Mr. Khan's party. For example, his wish to take control of the police and funds for development projects out of the hands of local elected officials.

"Voters are albatrosses around Imran Khan's neck," said

Samson Sharaf,

a retired brigadier who was once the spokesman of the party's defense. "They are too sharp for him.This is a simple and upright man, and they have already led him in the wrong direction."

Mr. Khan's assistants say his program will not be blocked.

"Imran Khan is very clear about what he wants to do, and if your framework is clear, you can make decisions," said

Shafqat Mahmood,

a senior member of the ITP who was re-elected from the city of Lahore, in the east of the country. "Imran will not be blackmailed." The party's basic program will not be dictated by voters. "

Only about a million Pakistanis pay income tax, out of a population of over 200 millions. A senior security official said the army was hoping that a non-tarnished leader might spur more Pakistanis to pay taxes. The military fear that its own budget will be further than that of India, because the revenues of the Pakistani government are not enough.

But if the allegations of help from the army are true, this could leave Mr. Khan under the pressure of a Yet, Mr. Khan says that only a leader deemed to be corrupt – and that Mr Khan is widely regarded as legitimately clean – could stand up to the aftermath of a playboy lifestyle as a cricketer and then retired from the sport in the early 1990s, Mr Khan made a spiritual journey, becoming more religious and believing that he must do something good for his country. He raised charitable funds to build a hospital for cancer. Friends say that he remains a moderate Muslim, although more conservative traits seem obvious in his choice for his third wedding, this year, to his spiritual advisor, who is covering himself with an enveloping burqa. The public has never seen his face.

This professed religiosity – which plays well with voters in a conservative country – was questioned by a revealing book published just before this election by his second wife, Reham Khan, from whom he divorced in 2015. It contained bloody stories about Mr. Khan's sexual promiscuity and drug use. However, the book, which his party claims to contain lies and false allegations cited by Mr. Khan's political opponents, did not have a great impact on the election campaign.

"It's an incredible lesson in tenacity, belief, and refusal to accept defeat," said his first wife, the British heiress Jemima Goldsmith, who witnessed early political failures of Mr Khan, said in a tweet on Thursday. "The challenge now is to remember why he entered politics in the first place."

Write to Saeed Shah at [email protected] and Bill Spindle at [email protected] [19659034] [ad_2]
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