The party of the imprisoned former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, won the most seats in parliamentary elections this week, delivering a strong rebuke to the country’s powerful generals and throwing the political system into chaos.
Never before in the country’s history has a politician seen such success in an election without the backing of the generals — much less after facing their iron fist.
In voting on Thursday, candidates from Mr. Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or P.T.I., appeared to win about 97 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, the country’s election commission reported on Saturday.
The military’s preferred party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, or P.M.L.N., led by a three-time former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, won at least 73 seats, the commission said.
Only seven seats were left unaccounted for — not enough to change the outcome as reported by the commission.
Persons:
Imran Khan, Khan’s, —, Nawaz Sharif
Organizations:
National Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz
Locations:
Pakistan