President Pervez Musharraf’s opponents won a big election victory on Tuesday after voters rejected his former ruling party, raising questions about the future of the US ally who has ruled since 1999.
Counting was continuing with results still awaited in less than 20 seats, but no party was expected to win a majority in the 342-seat National Assembly.
The opposition parties Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appeared to have won enough to command a majority, according to unofficial results. But there is no certainty that they will work together.
The pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League was trailing a distant third, and the party’s spokesman conceded defeat but kept open the possibility of joining a coalition.
“Obviously, the nation has spoken through the ballot. We couldn’t convince them. They have rejected our policies and we have accepted their verdict.” PML’s Tariq Azim Khan.
“For the best interest of the country, we’re willing to cooperate and work with anybody.”
As of 3.30 pm. (1030 GMT), unofficial results for 252 seats showed PPP had won 86 and PML-N had 65.
The pro-Musharraf PML trailed with 37. Small parties and independents shared the others.
A few seats weren’t contested, while 70 seats reserved for women and religious minorities will be divided up proportionately among parties according to the number of seats they’ve won.
Musharraf has said he would accept the results and work with whoever won to build democracy in a country that has alternated between civilian and army rule throughout its 60-year history.
DECISIVE FACTOR
Groups of happy opposition supporters celebrated in the streets in cities across the country as results trickled out.
Some analysts said reasons for PML’s defeat ranged from Musharraf’s unpopularity to resentment over inflation, food shortages and power cuts.