Here’s why the election results have been delayed:

🔴 The Interior Ministry of Pakistan has attributed the delay in the announcement of election results to “communication gap”. In a statement on Friday, the Interior Ministry said that it had reviewed the concerns raised by media and the public over the “late processing of the results to respective polling officers”, and “attributed” it to “lack of communication which was result of precautions taken to ensure foolproof security situation.”

“The protocols, in ensuring safe custody of both personnel and ballots, are elaborate which consumed significant time. The situation is now satisfactory and results are expected to be flowing in continuously,” the Interior Ministry’s statement read.

The Pakistan government had suspended mobile phone services on February 8 in order to prevent terrorist activities on the day of polling. In another statement on X, the Interior Ministry Friday defended the decision saying, “We were fully aware that suspension of mobile services would impact the transmission of election results across Pakistan and delay the process, however, the choice between this delay and safety of our citizens was quite straightforward and the decision was taken.”

🔴 President Arif Alvi Sunday indicated that the delay could have been averted if Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were put in place.

“Remember ‘our’ long struggle for Electronic Voting Machines. EVM had paper ballots that could be counted separately by hand (like it is being done today) BUT it also had a simple electronic calculator/counter of each vote button pressed. Totals of every candidate would have been available & printed within five minutes of closing of poll,” Alvi said on X.

Pakistan votes using paper ballots which are then counted manually.

🔴 Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s PTI has also alleged that “rigging” was causing delays in the declaration of results. PTI leader Gohar Khan accused the Election Commission of “deliberately trying to change the seats won by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) by delaying the results with the main goal of converting the majority into a minority.”

“The Election Commission has failed to conduct transparent elections. The law requires that all results be declared by 2 pm, otherwise election officials are legally bound to provide reasons for delaying results,” he added.

Supporters of PTI and other political parties such as PPP, JUI-F, and PkMAP are protesting against the alleged rigging. On Sunday, Dawn reported that highways across Balochistan were blocked amid protests.  Several PTI-backed Independents have also moved court, challenging the victories of former three-time prime minister Sharif, his daughter Maryam and former defence minister Khawaja Asif, alleging rigging.

Both the caretaker government of Pakistan and the election commission have denied these allegations.

So far, results of 256 seats out of 264 have been declared according to Dawn, with 93 Independents backed by Imran Khan’s PTI racing ahead. Nawaz Sharif’s PML(N) has won 73 seats while Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s PPP has won 54 seats.

Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir has backed Sharif’s call for a coalition government. According to reports, Sharif is in talks with PPP to form an alliance.