Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Imran Khan 'gets full support'

Former cricket star Imran Khan's party, which won Pakistan's July 25 general election, said on Friday (3) it had enough support in the National Assembly to form a government after more than a week of talks with other parties and independent politicians.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), or Pakistan Movement for Justice, did better than expected to scoop up 16.86 million votes, trouncing the party of jailed former premier Nawaz Sharif, which finished second with 12.89 million.


But the 116 seats won by Khan’s lawmakers were not enough to give him a majority without coalition partners in the National Assembly, which has 342 seats including 70 set aside for women and members of religious minorities.

Fawad Chaudhry, a PTI spokesman, told reporters on Friday that the party believed it had the support of 180 lawmakers when it counted coalition partners and holders of reserved seats.

The coalition would include the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which has dominated politics in the port megacity of Karachi for decades, and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), a new alliance in Sindh province, Chaudhry said.

"God willing, we will be going much ahead of the absolute majority," he added.

PTI has said it expects Khan to take the oath as prime minister before Aug. 14, Pakistan’s independence day.

Pakistan's two former dominant political parties said on Thursday they would join forces to field their own candidate for prime minister in parliament.

However, the opposition alliance was not believed to have the numbers to block Khan's election.

A European Union election monitoring team in its initial assessment described the election campaign as an unequal playing field, describing a "systematic effort" to undermine Sharif's former ruling party, but said it was up to the people of Pakistan to decide on the vote's legitimacy.

(Reuters)

More For You

Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus to step down after April polls

Chief adviser to the government of Bangladesh Professor Muhammed Yunus speaks during a live interview at Chatham House on June 11, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus to step down after April polls

BANGLADESH interim leader Muhammad Yunus said on Wednesday (11) that there was "no way" he wanted to continue in power after elections he has announced for April, the first since a mass uprising overthrew the government.

The South Asian nation of around 180 million people has been in political turmoil since a student-led revolt ousted then prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, ending her 15-year rule.

Keep ReadingShow less
Leicester residents invited to shape future of local councils

The proposed reorganisation could save £43m a year, say council leaders, but critics question the figure

Leicester residents invited to shape future of local councils

Hannah Richardson

RESIDENTS can now have their say on a plan which would see the number of local councils in Leicestershire drop from eight to two.

The proposal is one of three put forward for the political re-organisation of Leicestershire after the government told local leaders it wanted areas with two tiers of councils – such as the county – to reduce it to a single-tier set up.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi & Trump

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House on February 13, 2025.

Reuters

India, US talks edge towards interim trade deal: Report

INDIAN and US negotiators reported progress after four days of closed-door meetings in New Delhi on Tuesday, focusing on market access for industrial and some agricultural goods, tariff cuts and non-tariff barriers, according to Indian government sources.

"The negotiations held with the US side were productive and helped in making progress towards crafting a mutually beneficial and balanced agreement including through achievement of early wins," one of the sources said to Reuters.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jaishankar-Getty

Jaishankar, who is currently in Europe a month after India launched Operation Sindoor, said Pakistan was training 'thousands' of terrorists 'in the open' and 'unleashing' them on India. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

India will strike deep into Pakistan if provoked, says Jaishankar

INDIA's external affairs minister S Jaishankar has said India would strike deep into Pakistan if provoked by terrorist attacks, and warned of retribution against terrorist organisations and their leaders in response to incidents like the Pahalgam attack.

Speaking to Politico on Monday, Jaishankar, who is currently in Europe a month after India launched Operation Sindoor, said Pakistan was training “thousands” of terrorists “in the open” and “unleashing” them on India.

Keep ReadingShow less