Pakistan heads for weak coalition government

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif declared victory in national elections yesterday, saying his party has emerged as the largest and would talk to other groups to form a coalition government as it had failed to win a clear majority on its own. 

Sharif's announcement came after more than three-quarters of the 265 seats had declared results, more than 24 hours after polling ended on Thursday, marred by the deaths of 28 people in militant attacks.

Analysts had predicted there may be no clear winner, adding to the woes of a country struggling to recover from an economic crisis while it grapples with rising militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment.

The results showed independents, backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, had won the most seats - 90 of the 235 counted by 1920 GMT.

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 69 while the Pakistan People's Party of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of assassinated premier Benazir Bhutto, got 51.

The rest were won by small parties and other independents.

Khan's party was barred from the election, so his supporters contested as independents.

Currently, there are a total of 342 seats in the National Assembly. Of these, 266 are filled by direct elections. In addition, the Pakistani Constitution reserves 10 seats for religious minorities and 60 seats for women.

Polling in one seat was postponed due to the death of a candidate.

"Pakistan Muslim League is the single-largest party in the country today after the elections and it is our duty to bring this country out of the whirlpool," Sharif told a press conference in the eastern city of Lahore.

"Whoever has got the mandate, whether independents or parties, we respect the mandate they have got," he said. "We invite them to sit with us and help this wounded nation get back on its feet."

Sharif, 74, a three-time former premier, returned from four years of self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom late last year, apparently having buried a long-running feud with the powerful military.

Despite independents backed by PTI winning the most seats, Sharif's party is still likely to form the next government after a spell of horse trading with other parties and independents.

Sharif said his party would get in touch with others, including former President Asif Ali Zardari of PPP, to open negotiations as early as Friday night.

In its first reaction, a senior aide of Khan said leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party would hold talks among themselves and also meet Khan in jail today to discuss the results, Geo News reported.

Results of the vote have been unusually delayed, which the caretaker government ascribed to the suspension of mobile phone services -- a security measure ahead of Thursday's election.

Independent members cannot form a government on their own under Pakistan's complex election system which also includes reserved seats that will be allotted to parties based on their winnings.

But independent members have the option to join any party after the elections.

CHALLENGES FOR COALITION

"A timely announcement of the results, leading to a smooth formation of a new government, will reduce policy and political uncertainty," Moody's Investors Service said. "This is crucial for the country that is facing very challenging macroeconomic conditions."

The delay in the announcement of results was unusual for elections in Pakistan. Karachi's stock index and Pakistan's sovereign bonds fell because of the uncertainty.

An "internet issue" was the reason behind the delay, Zafar Iqbal, special secretary at the election commission, said without elaborating.

The main electoral battle was expected to be between candidates backed by Khan, whose PTI won the last national election, and the PML-N. Khan believes the powerful military is behind a crackdown to hound his party out of existence, while analysts and opponents say Sharif is being backed by the generals.

The military has dominated the nuclear-armed country either directly or indirectly in its 76 years of independence from Britain but for several years it has maintained it does not interfere in politics.

Analysts say a coalition government will struggle to tackle multiple challenges - foremost being seeking a new bailout programme from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the current arrangement expires in three weeks.

The election was expected to help resolve the crises Pakistan has been dealing with but a fractured verdict "could very well be the basis for even deeper exposure to forces which would create instability", said Marvin Weinbaum, Director of Afghanistan and Pakistan Studies at the Middle East Institute in Washington.

Thousands of troops were deployed on the streets and at polling stations across the country for the voting on Thursday. Borders with Iran and Afghanistan were temporarily closed as security was stepped up.

Despite the heightened security, 28 people, including two children, were killed in 56 attacks including bomb and grenade blasts and shootings by militants, the Interior Ministry said.

Washington said it was looking forward to "timely, complete election results" from Pakistan, reflecting the will of its people.

"The United States is prepared to work with the next Pakistani government, regardless of political party, to advance our shared interests," the State Department said in a statement after Sharif claimed victory.

A statement by the European Union has praised the continued "commitment to democracy" by the people of Pakistan but regretted "the lack of a level playing field due to the inability of some political actors to contest the elections."

The UK also voiced concern over what it called a "lack of inclusivity" in the election.