Sharif Claims Early Victory in May 11 Elections

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif, have declared victory in the historic general elections that was held on Saturday, May 11.

There was a huge turnout of about 60 percent of over 86 million eligible voters at the polling stations, amid threats of unending violence from the Pakistani Taliban.

The Election Commission praised the Pakistanis who came out to vote, citing that the turnout was the highest since 1977, despite the wave of violence that had at least 30 people killed in a series of gun and suicide attacks at polling stations across the country.

 
According to preliminary results, Sharif’s party took a promising lead, making it an assurance that he will be on the seat of power for a third time. But, the majorit

Sharif addressed his supporters at his campaign headquarters in Lahore, saying that the party thanks Allah for the opportunity to serve Pakistan again.

“Through this vote and campaign, I have felt how much love Pakistan has for me. And I have twice as much love for you.”

He added, “Thank God that he has given us the chance to help you to help Pakistan, to help the young people. We will fulfill all the promises that we have made.”

Policy director at Just Foreign Policy rights organization, Robert Naiman said that the success of MPL-N and Imran Khan’s Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI) may be in part because they made changing Pakistan’s strained relationship with the US a key plank in their campaigns.

He predicted that Pakistanis are unhappy with the “perception of subservience, the premendously unpopular drone strikes. And that we will see change in that direction under the Sharif government with Khan as the main opposition party.”

Sharif has urged Pakistanis to pray for a government that can be made theirs without compromises. He explained that a strong government cannot be made if they have to ask for seats, adding that his party would settle their differences.

 
“We forgive anyone who has abused us along the way, and we have not cursed anyone. We want to get Pakistan out of trouble. We have a program to change the state of Pakistan. We must make a decision to change this country…. To other parties, I say come and sit at the table,” he said

Former Pakistan PM’s Son Abducted at Election Rally

Ex Prime Minister Raza Gilani

There has been a report that the son of former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been abducted by unidentified gunmen during his own campaign rally at their hometown of Multan on Thursday.

A candidate for the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), Ali Haider was kidnapped in an ensuing gunfire during the rally. His secretary was reported to have been killed in the process, leaving several others with scores of injuries.

Police officer Khurram Shakur told reporters that people came on a motorbike and a black Honda car. Then, they opened fire at the rally, and abducted Gilani’s son, Ali Haider in the car.

Eyewitnesses added that Ali Haider was injured in the gun attack, as he was bleeding when his abductors put him in the car.

Mr Gilani has accused his political rivals as being the perpetrators of the crime, ahead of Saturday’s elections.

“We want our brother back tonight. If we don’t get him, we will not allow elections to be held in our area,” elder brother of Haider, Musa, told reporters in tears.

“There is a war going on between pro- and anti-Taliban forces in this country. They have captured the son of our leader. We are saddened by this and praying that he is safely recovered”, former interior minister Rehman Malik told an Al Jazeera correspondent.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Although, the Pakistani Taliban has promised to dispatch suicide bombers to carry out attacks at the upcoming election, as they have threatened to prevent all parties from conducting any election.