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ISLAMABAD – Former cricket star Imran Khan on Thursday declared victory in Pakistan's parliamentary elections and vowed to lead the country "as never before" in fighting corruption , seeking regional cooperation and forging a new relationship with the United States that was not "unilateral".
TV stations reported that Khan and his Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, maintained a dominant lead from Wednesday's polls. But his main rival, Shahbaz Sharif, rejected the verdict, citing allegations of vote rigging
. The Pakistani electoral commission has experienced technical problems and had to return to a manual account, delaying the announcement of the final results until Friday. This did not reveal whether the PTI would have a simple majority in the National Assembly or whether it should form a coalition government.
But this did not prevent the 65-year-old Khan from proclaiming his triumph in an address to the nation, in which he promised to create an Islamic welfare state to provide education and training. employment to the poor to fulfill a campaign promise to create 10 million jobs.
"Today in front of you, in front of the people of Pakistan, I promise Mr. Khan said that he pledged to eliminate corruption, to strengthen the institutions that 's. he described as dysfunctional and regaining national pride by developing international relations based on respect and equality
relaxed and conciliatory in his speech, his words were full of passion. United treated Pakistan as a mercenary, giving it billions of dollars to fight the war on terror in a region rife with militant extremists
"Unfortunately, our relations were up to now one-sided. America thinks that gives money to Pakistan to fight for them. Pakistan has suffered a lot, "said Mr. Khan, who criticized the US conflict in Afghanistan.
There was nothing to suggest an improvement in the already tense relationship between Pakistan and Washington since the tweets President Donald Trump in January, who accused Islamabad of taking help from the United States and only giving lies and deception.
Seeking good relations with his neighbors, Khan went on addressed to the rival of Pakistan, India.The two nuclear powers had a long conflict over the disputed region of Kashmir
"Take a step towards us and we will take two steps towards you", he said said in an offer of peace while denouncing the human rights violations in Kashmir.
Khan also advocated an open border policy with Afghanistan, even suggesting that the two countries adopt a "European Union" relationship. unlikely, the Pakistani army already building hundreds of border outposts and an escort along its western border with Afghanistan despite the often violent opposition of Kabul.
Khan focused on what he wanted to do for the poor in Pakistan and his vision of a country that did not bow to anyone, where all were equal before the law and where the taxes were paid by the rich to finance services to the less fortunate.
His campaign message from a new Pakistan seemed to affect young voters. A country where 64% of its 200 million inhabitants are under 30 years old.
Khan stated that the elections were the most transparent and promised to investigate every complaint of irregularity presented by his opponents
"It is thanks to God that we won and we have succeeded, "he said.
More than a dozen projected TV channels, the PTI would gain up to 119 seats out of the 270 seats in the National Assembly that have been contested, although broadcasters do not have the same rights. did not disclose his methodology. The rest of the 342-seat parliament includes seats reserved for women and minorities. The vote for two seats was postponed after one candidate died during the campaign and another was disqualified.
Although rights groups and minorities expressed concern before the vote on radical religious groups, moderate voices seem to have prevailed. the candidates presented by the outlaw Lashkar-e-Taiba won. This includes the son of US-appointed co-founder and terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who has a US $ 10 million bonus on his head.
Candidates campaigned under the little-known All-Akbar Tehreek party because Lashkar-e-Taiba
Even though Khan's party wins a simple majority, he should wait for the president summons parliament to swear that new legislators – traditionally in a week.
He also faces opposition on Sharif's result. He runs the Muslim League of Pakistan, the party of his older brother, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is in prison for corruption. Television shows give his party barely 61 seats.
Young Sharif tweeted that "our democratic process has been postponed for several decades," adding that "if the public mandate had been delivered equitably, we would have accepted it favorably. "
Complaints were also made by the Independent Commission on Human Rights, which stated that women were not allowed to vote in certain areas.
In d. other regions, polling staff seems to have a tendency to party, "without elaborating. In the days leading up to the elections, prominent activist IA Rehman called the campaign "dirtiest" in Pakistan's bumpy journey to a sustained democracy
Analysts have expressed concern that discontented losers may create instability for the new government, which has to deal with a failing economy. 19659028] The vote was tainted by a suicide bombing in the southwestern town of Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, which killed 31 people while waiting to vote. A bomb attack in the same province earlier this month killed 149 people, including a candidate for a job. Baluchistan has been attacked relentlessly by secessionists in the province and Sunni militants who have killed hundreds of Shiites.
The election only marked the second time in the 71-year history of Pakistan that a civilian government ceded power to another.
During the campaign, manipulation by the military, which directly or indirectly directed Pakistan for most of its existence, raised serious concerns. The army had deployed 350,000 soldiers in the 85,000 polling stations
In a tweet, Pakistani military spokesman Asif Ghafoor called "malicious propaganda" allegations of interference.
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to this report.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material can not be published, distributed, rewritten or redistributed.
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