What options do PTI-backed independent candidates have after this victory?
According to the preliminary non-conclusive and unofficial results of the Election Commission of Pakistan, a large number of independent candidates have won the 2024 general elections. Most of them were supported by Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf.
So far, around 50 independent candidates have won National Assembly seats, including Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senior Vice President Latif Khosa, former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and party member Ali Amin Gandapur.
On the other hand, independent candidates supported by Tehreek-e-Insaf have got a large majority in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, while in the Punjab Assembly, they have won more than fifty seats, giving a good fight to the Muslim League-N.
It is worth mentioning here that Tehreek-e-Insaf lost certain seats when the Election Commission declared its intra-party election null and void and withdrew its bat symbol. This decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.
What are the options for independent candidates supported by PTI?
Referring to the election laws, analysts say that independent candidates are not legally required to join political parties, that is, they can remain in the national or provincial assembly in an independent capacity if they wish.
However, they are often expected to join a political party for various reasons. According to political analyst Rafiullah Kakar, the purpose of an independent candidate behind joining a political party may be to build his political career, to associate himself with a political ideology or to play a more active role in parliament.
While talking, he explains that after winning, these candidates will have three days during which they will have to join a political party.
He says that according to the rules of the Election Commission, independent candidates can only join the party whose election symbol is given to them in the ballot. "Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf is no longer active, so it will be a big challenge for these independent candidates which party they join."
Before the election, it was indicated by the leaders of Tehreek-e-Insaaf that they may join a political party and affiliate with it.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has started announcing the results of the general elections in the country after several hours of delay. According to the unofficial and inconclusive results so far, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is leading from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muslim League-N from Punjab, while Pakistan Peoples Party is ahead in Sindh.
As a result of the surprising success of independent candidates in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, they are getting offers to join from two major parties. Among them, while Bilawal Bhutto Zardari invited them to join People's Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N also said that it has no problem in including independent candidates in its party.
On this issue, Rafiullah Kakar said that two things can happen. Failure to get election symbol aside, these independent candidates should be allowed to join PTI. Secondly, if they want, they can form a government alliance with the People's Party and a small party.
Political experts believe that a 'divided mandate' is emerging at the moment, which necessitates government unity.
Rafiullah said that 'where PML-N is winning in North Punjab. It is still losing in central Punjab. Out of the total number of 266, 134 members are required to form a simple majority in the National Assembly.
He claimed that 'where there are chances of up to 80 members of the PML-G, there is a possibility that 50 or 55 members of the People's Party will also be successful. So in such a case, independent candidates can help increase your party's numbers.
It should be noted that in a major election upset, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supported independent candidate former Prime Minister and leader of Muslim League-N Nawaz Sharif has been defeated from one constituency of the National Assembly.
According to the unofficial non-final results released by the Election Commission, Shahzad Muhammad Ghstasp Khan has defeated Nawaz Sharif by a huge margin in National Assembly Constituency NA-15 Mansehra.
Nawaz Sharif was a Muslim League candidate from National Assembly Constituency 130 in Lahore where he won.
Can independent candidates elect their own prime minister together?
When Rafiullah Kakar was asked whether independent candidates can elect their own prime minister, he replied that they can. For example, if they have 134 seats in the 266-member assembly, they can absolutely do so.
However, he said that it is not considered practical for independent candidates to elect their own prime minister, but there is no restriction in the law.
