Nawaz Sharif declares victory in Pakistan's election, despite failing to win a majority of seats
Pakistan's two leading figures in the national election have both declared victory underlining a chaotic campaign dominated by violence. Nawaz Sharif says his party has won but political allies of the imprisoned Imran Khan claim they have secured more seats overall.
Transcript
00:00 Nawaz Sharif has claimed victory in Pakistan's election, despite results not showing a clear
00:07 winner. Sharif will need to secure a coalition to govern. His party has won fewer seats than
00:16 his rival Imran Khan, whose political allies ran as independents. A coalition is no easy
00:27 task in a country this deeply divided. Two people were killed in riots over delayed voting
00:32 results. Many suspect that was a sign these elections are rigged and protests erupted
00:39 in areas with strong support for Khan-backed candidates. Sharif will need more than a dove
00:47 to find peace in Pakistan, as the country struggles with soaring inflation and an unstable
00:55 economy. Analysts have described this as one of Pakistan's least credible elections. An
01:02 internet shutdown, delays in polls and slow results have triggered suspicions of vote
01:07 rigging in favour of political parties backed by the country's powerful military. Just a
01:14 day before the election, at least 28 people were killed in bombings at political offices.
01:20 Authorities say they suspended mobile and internet services to maintain law and order.
01:26 Khan supporters worry this had a disproportionate impact on their tech-heavy campaign.
01:31 "I don't think Pakistan has ever seen the level of tyranny that people on the streets
01:37 have faced, but they are fighting back."
01:40 But many remained defiant, in spite of the blackout.
01:45 "We want people to elect candidates who will resolve all of our problems, who will do something
01:52 to improve our future."
01:55 In the midst of a difficult and deadly chapter in Pakistan's political history, people are
02:01 focused on making a better life for themselves.
02:04 [BLANK_AUDIO]