Pakistan General Elections 2018 Results: Imran Khan Leads while opponents allege Rigged Ballot

Gauhati: Dubbed as the "Worst Election Ever", Pakistan General Elections which concluded yesterday amidst violence all around, is still not free from controversies. While Cricketer-turned Politician Imran Khan's party PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) has taken a lead in 110 seats, trailing by 68 seats is ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which has threatened to boycott the results alleging military intervention in favor of the former cricketer.

There has been a delay in the proceedings of result declaration which has prompted more doubts regarding the transparency of the Pakistan General Elections. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan, which is regarded there as an independent body, blamed the delay on the Results Transmission Software it had purchased from a British company.

To the disbelief of his rivals, Khan's PTI, which was expected to win 107-120 seats in the lower house, has exceeded expectations and is leading on 110 seats, which has further consolidated his opponent's theory of military rigging.

Addressing a press conference, Shehbaz Shariff, who is the brother of Nawaz Shariff and PML-N leader said that they will reject the results outright and described how the polling officials tyrannically ousted his party workers who were monitoring possible tampering with votes.

Former PML-N leader Nawaz Shariff who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for alleged corruption blamed the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) of spying up against his party. He accused the intelligence agency of leading a campaign against PML-N and bringing up fake cases against its candidates.

Not only the PML-N, but every party of Pakistan except the PTI has cried foul. Bilawal Bhutto, leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), took to Twitter to express his displeasure over the proceedings of the Pakistan General Elections. He has described the elections as "inexcusable and outrageous" and alleged that his activists have been excluded across the country.

Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) spokesperson has dubbed it the "worst rigging in history"

Pakistan General Elections had been regarded as a ray of hope to restore peace and democracy in the chaos and insurgency-hit nation, but the violence that has marked the elections before and during the polls, and the tension that has built up during the results, hint otherwise.

While most of Imran Khan's opponents have cumulatively regarded the election and result declaration as biased and rigged, PTI leaders have put forward their counter-arguments saying only those leaders who are "Pro-India" are making such allegations and the elections were a fight between "the forces good and the evil".

While the blame game continues, Imran Khan's supporters have already taken to the streets to celebrate their triumph. Whoever comes to power, Pakistan General Elections will be remembered for the violence that claimed several lives and injured many.

From the economic perspective, however, if the results of the Pakistan General Elections are in favor of the Imran Khan-led PTI, the country can expect some relief from the economic crisis.

Pakistan which was recently included in the " FATF Grey List " for irregularities in curbing terror funding desperately needs a stable Government to prevent the "Black List" and bring the country out of the economic crisis.