Pakistan Army Chief calls for "stable hands, healing touch" as polls throw up no clear winner

ISLAMABAD: In a clear message as to who holds the cards in the country, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, has said that the country needs stable hands and added that a unified government of all democratic forces will adequately represent Pakistan's diverse political and pluralistic landscape, Dawn reported. He said, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that elections and democracy are means to serve the people of Pakistan and not ends in themselves.

"The nation needs stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarisation, which do not suit a progressive country of 250 million people," Dawn quoted COAS Munir as saying.

"Elections are not a zero-sum competition of winning and losing but an exercise to determine the mandate of the people. Political leadership and their workers should rise above self-interest and synergize efforts in governing and serving the people which is perhaps the only way to make democracy functional and purposeful," he said.

In a statement issued by ISPR, Munir also praised the caretaker government, the Election Commission of Pakistan, and political parties following the completion of polls. The results of the polls are awaited, however.

Meanwhile, as the COAS continued, he also underlined how important it is for the political parties to reciprocate with "political maturity," according to Dawn.

"As the people of Pakistan have reposed their combined trust in the Constitution of Pakistan, it is now incumbent upon all political parties to reciprocate the same with political maturity and unity," he went on to say. According to Geo News' unofficial provisional results for 241 of 266 seats, independent candidates, largely backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), led with 97 seats.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which has emerged as the single largest party, trails with 72 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has 52.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Jamiat-e-Ulami-Faizal (JUI-F), and Balochistan National Party (BNP) are expected to win 15, 3, and 2 seats, respectively. The counting for the elections held on Thursday is underway, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the single-largest party but is trailing behind the independent candidates, mostly backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

Meanwhile, amid the Election Commission of Pakistan drawing flak over the delay in declaration of the results of the general elections, former PM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Saturday released a 'victory speech' in his AI-enabled voice, saying that the 'London Plan' of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif failed with the massive turnout of voters on polling day, as he also claimed victory in the general elections.

Moreover, Nawaz Sharif also announced his intention to form a united government with the help of his former allies - Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) amid a fractured mandate. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari met in Lahore on Friday.

The meeting took place immediately after Nawaz declared victory in the general elections conducted the day before and urged his partners to form a coalition government. The PPP and PML-N were both members of the PDM administration, which succeeded the PTI when Imran Khan was removed from office as prime minister in 2022.