Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif both assert their advantage in Pakistan election

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently in jail on corruption charges he claims are politically motivated, has declared victory in the general election and called on his supporters to celebrate. Independent candidates linked to him have won the majority of seats declared so far. However, another ex-prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, insists that his party has emerged as the largest and urges others to join him in a coalition. With no group or party on track to win an overall majority, the political horse-trading has now begun. The success of Imran Khan's PTI party was unexpected, as most experts believed that Nawaz Sharif, backed by the powerful military, was the clear favorite. Although technically the largest official political group, the PTI is not a recognized party as it was barred from running in the election. The UK and US have raised concerns about restrictions on electoral freedoms during the vote, while many analysts consider this election to be among Pakistan's least credible. Over 128 million people registered to vote, with almost half of them under the age of 35. Despite the challenges, former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi highlights the belief in the democratic process shown by Pakistan's voter numbers, emphasizing the need for political stability in addressing the country's worst economic crisis.