Pakistan braces for weak coalition as no clear winner

• Pro-Imran Khan candidates lead with 92 seats
• Nawaz's PMLN bags 71,
• Bhutto Zardari's PPP 54
• 253 seats counted from the 264 seats
• Majority of 134 is needed for a party to form govt
• Imran Khan's party says they would try to form a govt
• PPP and PML-N in talks of forming a coalition govt

After Pakistan's general elections failed to produce a clear winner, the country is heading for a fragile coalition government amid grappling economic challenges and deep political divisions.

Of the 253 seats counted from the 264 seats that went to the polls, independent candidates backed by Khan had won 92 till 10pm Bangladesh time, according to Dawn.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 71, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari got 54. The rest were won by small parties and other independents.

A simple majority of 134 is needed for a party to form a government. Despite party affiliation, MPs have the flexibility to collaborate. For Imran's party, its candidates can opt to remain independent, potentially forming a government if they collectively surpass the required number of seats.

Despite no clear winner and results of some seats remaining, both Imran Khan and his main rival, three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, declared victory.

A senior aide to Imran Khan said Saturday that their party would try to form a government as it had won the most seats in Thursday's general election.

Gohar Khan, the chairman of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) party who also acts as the former prime minister's lawyer, called on "all institutions" in Pakistan to respect his party's mandate.

Khan's close aide and media adviser, Zulfi Bukhari, told Reuters the party would announce within the next day the party banner they will ask independents to join.

Meanwhile, PML-N and the PPP have reached an agreement to establish a coalition government both at the federal level and in Punjab, according to media reports.

PMLN leader Shehbaz Sharif met PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari and invited them to work together for Pakistan.

Sources claimed that both the parties will present their own views in the next meeting and finalise all matters regarding the power-sharing formula as to who will assume which office and where with mutual consultation.

However, political analysts believe any coalition government will be weakened by the long-standing rivalry between Sharif and Zardari.

Both men have complex relationships with the military-led establishment. The military has also played a role in the imprisonment of Sharif and Zardari, sometimes with cooperation from one against the other.

Army urge unity

Amid uncertainties, Pakistan's army chief told feuding politicians to show "maturity and unity".

The military looms large over Pakistan's political landscape, with generals having run the country for nearly half its history since partition from India in 1947.

"Elections are not a zero-sum competition of winning and losing but an exercise to determine the mandate of the people,"  Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir said in a statement released by the military.

"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.

Imran Khan gets bail in 12 cases

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan's Rawalpindi granted bail to former Imran Khan in 12 cases related to 9 May riots, reports The Express Tribune.

Additionally, Khan's close aide and the former foreign minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi was granted bail in 13 cases.

Imran was also granted bail in the Pakistan Army General Headquarters and Army Museum attacks, with the court requiring a PKR0.1 million surety bond in all 12 cases.

However, Khan will remain in jail as he is convicted in many other cases.

US, UK and EU urge probe into election

The United States, Britain and the European Union on Friday separately expressed concerns about Pakistan's electoral process in the wake of a vote on Thursday and urged a probe into reported irregularities.

The US and the EU both mentioned allegations of interference, including arrests of activists, and added that claims of irregularities, interference and fraud should be fully investigated.

The EU statement noted a "lack of a level playing field", attributing that to "the inability of some political actors to contest the elections" and to restrictions to freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and internet access.

The US State Department said there were "undue restrictions" on freedoms of expressions and assembly while noting violence and attacks on media workers.