LONDON – Pakistani cricket icon-turned-politician Imran Khan inched closerto power on Thursday after general election.
With nearly half the votes counted from Wednesday’s election, Khan’sPakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), or Pakistan Movement for Justice, was in acommanding lead in the nuclear-armed, Muslim nation.
The stock market shot up nearly 2 percent in early trading on relief thelikely coalition government will not be a weak one. Pakistan faces amounting economic crisis that is likely to require a bailout by theInternational Monetary Fund, although PTI has not ruled out seeking succourfrom China, Islamabad’s closest ally.
Reacting, his former spouse Jemima Goldsmith wrote; “I remember IK’s 1stelection in 1997- untested, idealistic & politically naive. I waited up forthe call in LHR with 3 mo old Sulaiman, who I had lugged around thecountry. Eventually he called. “It’s a clean sweep” & after my gasp, “… theother way.” He roared with laughter.”
Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Thursday inched towards becomingthe single largest party in the country’s general elections by leading on120 seats in an early count of votes.
While final results are expected in the coming hours, initial outcomes showthat the PTI would emerge as the single largest party in the NationalAssembly. In several cities, PTI supporters rejoiced by waving flags andraising party slogans as results trickled in after the voting on Wednesday.
The 65-year-old former cricketer’s PTI won 120 seats while its main rivalPakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was way behind with 61 seats. ThePakistan People’s Party was leading on 40 seats.