What lies ahead for Pakistan's election outcome and who is likely to be the next prime minister?

Four days after the general elections in Pakistan, the country is still unsure of which party will form the next government or who the next prime minister will be. Despite former PM Imran Khan's detention and the obstacles faced by his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), independent candidates supported by the PTI have managed to win 93 seats in the National Assembly, the highest number by any party. However, this falls short of the 169 seats required to form a government. Former PM Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) came in second with 75 seats, while the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari secured 54 seats. According to the constitution, a government must be formed by 29 February, and with no party having a simple majority, a coalition government seems imminent. Both PTI and PML-N have claimed victory, but independent candidates who did not win have alleged vote-rigging and taken their complaints to court. Potential scenarios include a coalition between PML-N and PPP, or PML-N forming an alliance with smaller parties. PTI is also considering sitting in opposition rather than forming a coalition if it fails to secure a majority. The PTI-backed candidates may also join smaller parties to combine their seats and take advantage of the women's reserved seats in the National Assembly. However, it is unlikely that PTI will be able to form a coalition government, as even alliances with smaller parties will fall short of a majority. The election results reflect a message from voters to the military to uphold civilian democracy.