Pakistan: Election Commission delays official results for independent candidates, voters concerns

A significant delay in the official notification of victories for independent candidates in the National Assembly (NA) seats has sparked concerns, according to a report on Sunday.

Unofficial results indicate that over 101 independent candidates largely supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have clinched NA seats. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially released results for just eight candidates, with an additional 33 victories announced through a late-night notification.

This delay in the notification process by the ECP is causing apprehension among voters and stakeholders, especially as political parties engage in talks to shape the country's government. The timely release of these results is crucial for a clearer understanding of the evolving political scenario.

Until the latest update on Saturday evening, the ECP had officially declared results for only eight candidates, with an additional 33 announced late at night. Out of the 265 NA constituencies where elections occurred on February 8, results for 154, including 41 independents, have been officially notified.

Under election rules independent candidates are given a three-day window to join a political party after the official notification of their victory. The ECP is under increasing pressure to expedite the notification process allowing candidates to make informed decisions within the stipulated time frame.

Raja Khurram Nawaz from NA-48 (Islamabad) was the first independent candidate officially notified as a returned candidate on February 12, two days after publicly announcing his affiliation with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Notably, delayed notifications have not impeded the ECP from promptly declaring victories for candidates aligned with political parties.