00:00 As Pakistan eagerly awaits the results of the general election of 2024, the aftermath
00:07 of the polls has been marked by delays, controversies and unexpected outcomes.
00:13 The counting of votes is currently underway after a turbulent election day on Thursday.
00:19 Reports of a crackdown on the party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, sporadic violence
00:24 and internet connectivity issues have created a tense atmosphere across the country.
00:30 Pakistan's political landscape is predominantly shaped by three major parties - the Pakistan
00:34 Muslim League Nawaz or PMLN, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insa for PTI and the Pakistan People's
00:41 Party or PPP.
00:43 As the nation holds its breath, the Election Commission of Pakistan issued a late-night
00:47 warning to polling officers, urging them to expedite the release of results, which began
00:52 more than nine hours after the polls closed.
00:55 The National Assembly, consisting of 336 seats, plays a crucial role in determining the country's
01:00 political direction.
01:02 266 seats are filled through direct voting, while the remaining 70 are reserved.
01:07 Among the reserved seats, 60 are allocated for women and 10 for non-Muslims based on
01:12 each party's representation in the assembly.
01:15 A simple majority requires a minimum of 133 seats, but speculations arise as analysts
01:21 believe the election outcome might not yield a decisive winner.
01:25 Despite early victories for former Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's PMLN party, securing four
01:30 seats initially, the PTI party led by jailed ex-PM Imran Khan gained unexpected momentum.
01:37 Independent candidates supported by PTI emerged victorious in five parliamentary seats, surpassing
01:42 PMLN's initial success.
01:45 The PPP led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari secured three seats, trailing behind both PMLN and
01:51 PTI.
01:52 The Election Commission's Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal attributed the delay in announcing
01:57 results to an internet issue, causing the first official results to be released more
02:01 than 10 hours after polls closed.
02:03 In an interesting turn of events, Imran Khan's PTI encouraged citizens to remove passwords
02:09 from their personal Wi-Fi networks via a social media post, aiming to facilitate internet
02:13 access and expedite the result announcement process.
02:17 As the vote counting continues, a clearer electoral landscape is expected to emerge
02:21 by Friday, i.e. on February 9.
02:24 The nation remains on edge awaiting the final results that will shape Pakistan's political
02:28 future.
02:29 Stay tuned to OneIndia for the latest updates on the Pakistan general election 2024.
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